


Wizards and Werewolves

by Wherever_Girl



Category: Fangface (Cartoon), Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (Video Game)
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:20:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 94,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23486707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wherever_Girl/pseuds/Wherever_Girl
Summary: In a hidden library, Cassiopeia and the group learn of another mystical threat who had been sealed away ages ago; however, with the evil warlock's only key to power banished from their world and time, they feel there is no cause for worry.Meanwhile in their own world, the Fangface gang come across a strange relic... which transports them to a different realm, beyond their understanding! And the incident may have awakened a great evil. Now they must seek help from a few local heroes in order to get back home--- as well as assist in helping save both their worlds!A wizard. A werewolf. An evil being ready to unleash terrors of all kinds...The only common ground the two groups have is dangerous situations like this is not uncommon in their lives.
Kudos: 5





	1. Prologue: The Tale of Tobias

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another fic I'm carrying over from another site and continuing/finishing on this site! :D
> 
> Read on, enjoy, and I'll be posting all the current chapters from this point on!

_Year: 1950_

_Place: Ivory Tower_

It had been several weeks since the world had been set anew. With the reformed Queen Cassiopeia at peace, the rest of the kingdoms and villages throughout the realm could finally relax, no longer having to fear the Dark Djinn nor White Witch causing misery and heartbreak.

Having frequently been visiting the other world from his home in Motorville, Oliver always felt like he was having a dream, seeing that the magical world he had been introduced to just last summer was no longer filled with chaos. He smiled at this, as he walked down a corridor of a large, marble-white castle.

With all the kingdoms united in truce, there was reassurance that peace would be kept in the world, so long as everyone continued to work with one another.

One ruler stuck by this, as he and his older brother assisted Queen Cassiopeia herself in the reconstruction of Nazcaa. The Ivory Palace had been restored to its original continent, with the Witch Queen working on making the large island easier to visit via with roads and pathways leading from the sea to the kingdom, as well as making sure the beasts on the island kept at bay in the deep forests and mountain-ranges.

While rebuilding the kingdom's geography was one detail to be focused on, Cassiopeia felt there was more she needed to do. Unfortunately, due to being kept in the dark about kingdom matters back in her early days of rule, with the Zodiarchs having been 'in control', she did not know where to start- not even recalling how her kingdom had once been when her father, the Wizard King, had been in rule as she was only five at his time of death.

Thus is when she called upon the young Emperor of Hamelin, Marcassin, and his older brother, Prince Gascon- or 'Swaine', as he preferred to be called by friends. Marcassin had come into rule when he was only 7; though he had done well in caring for the kingdom up until he had been heartbroken, he preferred to have his brother rule alongside him. While the young Sage of Hamelin knew much about magic and leadership, his brother had more experience with machines, as well as having lived a life of a commoner to know how to work with people outside of royalty.

Since the two brothers also played a part in restoring her to her former glory, as well as were close companions to the young wizard, Oliver, Cassiopeia had faith that they would be a great help in assisting her to restore her own kingdom.

And, of course, she requested help from the Pure-Hearted One himself. Oliver entered the council room, where Cassiopeia was seated with Marcassin and Swaine, in the middle of conversation. "Oliver! I'm so glad you could make it," Cassiopeia said in greeting.

"I'm sorry I'm late- Miss Leila wouldn't let me go out until I finished my homework," Oliver stated, referring to his guardian in Motorville. With school back in session, he was only able to visit the world of Ni No Kuni on weekends or breaks. No one in his world really questioned where he'd go off to- as long as he was keeping out of trouble and returned home at a decent time, he was free to wander from one world to the next.

"How is your schoolwork going, by the way?" Marcassin asked. "Gascon said something about you going on something called 'Fall Break' soon,"

Oliver nodded. "Yeah, it starts Monday," he took a seat near Cassiopeia. "I figure I can use it to help you out a little more, Queen Cassiopeia,"

"That is very kind of you, Oliver. …And please, we're good friends now, you may call me 'Pea'," Cassiopeia replied with a smile. "After all, that is the name I went by when we 'first' met,"

Oliver chuckled, remembering the living-illusion of Cassiopeia's child-identity, who helped him throughout his journey from time to time. "Okay, if you say so, Pea."

"Right then, so what do you need help with today, your highness?" Swaine asked Cassiopeia. "Creatures still roaming your palace? Need help mapping out more areas to build a port?"

"No, I believe we have all those matters taken care of," Cassiopeia replied, standing up and walking along; the others followed. "There is something I have yet to address- the history of Nazcaa. Growing up, I did not think much about the customs of my old country, nor learn much of my own father's ways of ruling. I feel that, if I can find out about the history of my kingdom, I will have more insight on how to rebuild it," She turned to Marcassin. "Would you know anything about it, Marcassin? I recall you bringing up knowing that it had existed 10,000 years ago,"

Marcassin pondered for a moment. "I do recall learning about it in my studies, but since the kingdom had been lost in ancient times, not many records were shown. All I had learned was that the Wizard King was the master of magic, and had to hide the stones of Mornstar so that, when he died, no one could use the wand for dark purposes, and entrusted the stones to his closest allies. After that, it only spoke of how the kingdom fell to ruin mysteriously- until we saw your memories and learned the truth,"

Cassiopeia nodded solemnly, then sighed. "Then I suppose our history has been lost…"

"I don't suppose this place would have a library, would it?" Swaine asked, peering around as they walked through the halls. Despite the group had gone through several floors when searching for the White Witch the first time, they didn't exactly have time to tour around. "That would help us learn a few things,"

"Yeah! The library in my town is full of history books- maybe if there's one here, we can find something!" Oliver added.

Cassiopeia paused to think. "My father did have a study… but it was on the top floor, and the only way it could be opened was by a special password." She replied. "Everyone tried to guess what it was, as well as myself, but we could never figure it out."

"Well, let's take a shot at it anyway," Swaine suggested. "And if not, I bet we could pick the lock somehow,"

"It's worth a try," Oliver added.

Cassiopeia nodded, and lead them to one of the teleportation pads in the corridor.

After a series of wandering the halls and teleporting to higher floors, the Witch Queen showed them a large room, where there was nothing but a swirling staircase that seemed to go as far as the glass ceiling. "It has been so long since I've come here," she whispered to herself as they walked towards the staircase, looking around the wide, empty room. "Father never let me in the study, but always allowed me to play in this room until he was finished."

"Jeepers, it's huge!" Oliver commented, though noticed that the room was empty. "Did you bring a lot of toys up here or anything?"

Cassiopeia shook her head, smiling. "The only thing I could bring here was my imagination. Mostly, I would pretend it was the ballroom, and would dance around; or pretend I was ice-skating, and slide across the floor. Once, I slipped and bruised my arm, and my father immediately rushed down the stairs to my aid, upon hearing my cry." She sighed. "Amazing how much I can remember, just from an empty room…"

"Speaking of stairs, however, was there an alternate way up?" Swaine asked, looking at the length of the staircase- counting at least 124 steps until he couldn't see any higher.

"Do not worry- father had a special way of going upstairs," Cassiopeia then stepped on the bottom step, concentrating before stating, " _Mobilize"_ and the stairs began to move upwards, as if turned into an escalator!

"Neato!" Oliver exclaimed, climbing onto the step, with Swaine and Marcassin following.

Within minutes, they had reached the platform at the top, only seeing a blank wall before them. "Where is the door?" Marcassin asked, curiously.

"Right here," Cassiopeia then turned one of the knobs that lined the banister; what they thought was a wall turned out to be a mere screen, which shifted upwards to show a large doorway. "Now to guess the password…"

Everyone thought hard about what kind of password the Wizard King would use, guessing terms such as 'Mornstar', 'Astra', 'Nazcaa', and even 'Pea', but none seemed to work. Oliver took out his Wizard's Companion, wondering if there was a clue that would help, when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. "Huh? Horace?" he gasped, seeing the ghost of the Sage of Ages standing before him. The ghost tried to speak to him- but his voice was muted. Oliver cast 'Spirit Medium', in order to hear what he was saying.

"Ah, that's better. Hello, Oliver, it's good to see you again," Horace stated.

"What brings you here?" Marcassin asked, as he and the others noticed the ghost's presence.

"Horace has actually been staying here, since I returned the Ivory Tower to Nazcaa," Cassiopeia answered, blushing a bit. "I suppose I got so caught up in my plans, I forgot to mention so. I believed it was only right, as he was loyal to the kingdom in his days,"

"I also found it would be redeeming to help guide Cassiopeia now that she reformed," Horace added, bowing his head solemnly. "…considering I failed to aid her, all those centuries ago…"

"You did nothing wrong, Horace. What had happened remains in the past- what matters now is that you're here to help,"

"Speaking of 'help', you wouldn't happen to know the password to open this door, would you?" Swaine asked.

"Gascon," Marcassin scolded, as his brother cut-in during a moment.

"No, he's right- as Cassiopeia stated, I am here to help. …However, if you want the password, you will have to earn it by answering a riddle," Horace said, with a smirk.

Oliver nodded. "Okay, what's the riddle this time?" he asked.

"The password is based on the name the Wizard King gave to one of his wands, in memory of his first love." The ghost turned to Cassiopeia. "If you can recall her name, then you have your password," With that, Horace disappeared.

"Well, that's helpful- the king could have had several wands in his lifetime! Which one could he have named after someone he loved?" Swaine remarked.

Oliver turned to Cassiopeia. "He said you had to recall it, Cassiopeia… Do you remember anyone your father named a wand after?"

Cassiopeia thought, then looked at the wand in Oliver's hand. "Astra…" she whispered, then gasped. "Astralicia! That's the password!"

Upon saying the name, the doors suddenly glowed, opening before them. Everyone looked in, seeing a large study, full of shelves filled with scrolls and leather-bound journals. "How did you figure out the name so quickly?" Marcassin asked the witch queen as they entered.

Cassiopeia looked down at the floor, sighing. "Astralicia was my mother's name… My father named his wand after her, after she died. I was too young to remember much of her… but my father told me the story of how he named his wands every so often." She cleared her throat. "Come, there is so much to learn here, we'd best get started before the day is gone,"

Marcassin paused, rubbing the back of his neck. Swaine gave him a nudge. "Had to ask, didn't you?" he whispered, earning a look from his brother.

"Just… let's just get to work," Marcassin muttered.

"Here's something," Oliver called, finding a scroll on a desk. "It's a list of all the books in here,"

"The archives," Cassiopeia noted, looking at the scroll. "'Nazcaa's Founding'… 'Leaders and Diplomats'… 'The Wizard Wars'… This is perfect! I can find everything I need to know from this list!"

Oliver looked at an entry on the list, which piqued his curiosity. "Huh? Hey, Pea, look at this… 'The Exile of Tobias- How The Wizard King Defeated The Sorcerer Sadist'?"

"I never heard of such a tale," Marcassin commented.

"These archives are over thousands of years old, I don't think anyone has," Swaine replied.

"Myself included," Cassiopeia agreed, looking at the list to see where to find the tale; she looked on the shelves, finding a dusty leather-bound book with yellowed pages on one of the lower shelves. "The story is recorded in here." She turned through the pages, skimming the paragraphs before pausing. "Hmm, well father never told me THIS story…"

"What does it say, Pea?" Oliver asked.

"It's just what the archives said- how my father defeated an evil sorcerer," Cassiopeia then read the story aloud…

"' _Long ago, when the world was still new to magic, there were two young princes who studied together in the magical arts- Prince Tobias of the kingdom Bellicosia, and Prince Nilrem of Nazcaa. The two were once friends in childhood, until the day came for them to take the tests at the Temple of Trials. Both put in great effort, but Nilrem was the one who surpassed all tests with amazing results that even impressed Uzzia, the Supreme Sage at the time. Uzzia dubbed him as the Wizard King, whereas Tobias was only known as a Minor Sage._

"' _Angered that Nilrem gained such a high title, Tobias vowed to usurp him and began to practice with Dark Magic, which he forged into his wand, 'Serpens'. With his newfound power, he spread pain and agony throughout the lands, corrupting Guardians and taking the lives of others in order to gain superiority._

"' _Nilrem managed to defeat Tobias, using the power of Light Magic, though could not take his life as it was not in his heart to do so. Nilrem only managed to weaken his former-friend, able to only banish Serpens to another realm and time, rendering Tobias powerless; He then sealed Tobias into a prison on a hazardous island, unmapped and uninhabitable, along with his most faithful servant, and those who followed him were cast into hiding so long as their master was imprisoned._

"' _This is how Nilrem lived up to his title as the Wizard King, vowing to protect the world and make sure none have to fear Darkness, so long as he lived.'"_

"Wow- your dad was a hero!" Oliver exclaimed.

"Yes- just like you," Cassiopeia beamed.

"But… why banish that wand? Why not just destroy it?" Swaine questioned.

Cassiopeia looked at the archives. "There's more information on the story- from what Guardians Tobias had corrupted, to the spell my father placed on him, to how my father managed to gain two wands…"

The ex-thief chuckled. "Looks like there's a lot to catch up on,"

"I would like to look over a few things as well… Nazcaa seems to have quite the history," Marcassin said, looking at one scroll. "It says here that it was introduced to mechanisms by Hamelin merchants, and was the first to help in crafting aerial machinery!"

"I suppose that means our two kingdoms have quite a connection," Cassiopeia stated with a smile, making the young sage blush.

"Y-yes, I suppose so…"

Swaine rolled his eyes. "(Just ask her for a date already, pretty-boy)…" he whispered under his breath, noticing his younger brother had developed an infatuation with the Witch Queen since her reformation.

"Did you say something, Gascon?" Cassiopeia asked.

"Nah, just wondering what book can give us insight on how to rebuild your kingdom," he lied.

"There's something we can look at- 'Nazcaan Culture- Traditions, Festivities, and Culinary Delights of the Kingdom'," Oliver read from the archives.

"I will start with that, then!" Cassiopeia said, looking around until she found a book about her kingdom's culture. The tome itself was a bit thick in pages, she noticed as she pulled it out. "…I suppose I have a lot of reading to do,"

"You look through that, and we'll check out some of these other books," Swaine suggested, browsing the shelves. "…particularly one about some of these mechanisms Nazcaa had…"

As Cassiopeia read, everyone explored the shelves. "So… that one wand 'Serpen' was banished into time to another world," Oliver stated, after thinking about that subject a bit more. "You don't think it might be in my world, do you?"

"If it is, I hope we do not come across it," Marcassin replied. "A wand powered by evil spells… I wouldn't dare use it,"

"Neither would I… but… what if someone found it?"

"Then we'd be screw- *ahem* in deep trouble," Swaine said, reminding himself to watch his language in front of Cassiopeia. "But, I doubt anyone in your world knows magic, much less believes in it, so there's not much to worry about. Plus, Tobias probably died in that prison of his- he's not around to use it,"

"True… but if Serpens ever does show up, I recommend we destroy it," Cassiopeia replied, then paused. "…though, I wonder why my father hadn't done so, instead?" she shook her head. "No matter. Let's focus on the first task,"

Everyone agreed, and continued their research.

After a couple hours, they decided to call it a day and head home. "We should invite Esther and Mr. Drippy next time," Oliver stated as they all walked down the long corridor, leading outside.

"I considered summoning them, but learned that Esther is training to be a Great Sage after Rashaad, and Mr. Drippy is catching up with all his fairy friends," Cassiopeia replied. "I only summoned you all because Marcassin and Gascon have experience in ruling as well as people-skills. And I knew I would need help of the Pure-Hearted One,"

Oliver blushed. "I'm just happy to help. But Esther and Mr. Drippy know quite a few things too,"

"Plus, the more people we have to help with doing research, the sooner we can get done," Swaine added.

Cassiopeia nodded. "True- it wouldn't be fair to exclude half the heroes who saved the world, either." They made it to the door and she bid them farewell, watching as Oliver cast 'Gateway' to Motorville, while Marcassin cast 'Fast Travel' for him and Swaine to return to Hamelin.

Horace appeared next to her, walking with her down the corridor. "You seem worried. What is troubling you?" he asked her.

"That story about Tobias," Cassiopeia replied, solemnly. "I do not know why, but I have this horrible feeling about him…"

"What could be wrong? He was imprisoned long ago, and rotted on an unknown isle, did he not?"

"That is just it…" Cassiopeia looked out the window, cringing as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I do not think we are rid of him, yet."


	2. One Way To End Fall Break!

_Year: 1980_

_Place: Salem, Massachusetts_

The town of Salem was filled with lively activity, as tourists walked around the streets, looking around at different booths and entering various shops that were open during late hours. It was the town's annual _Midnight Magic Festival,_ which took place during the final week of October, ending after Halloween Night, which was the next day. The Festival was created to attract more tourism for the town, as the 'Salem Witch Trials' history was bringing in only a few patrons lately.

One set of tourists were a group of teens who had decided to pay a visit to the city, during their Fall Break. Two of the teens, a handsome boy with reddish-brown hair and a lovely girl with mocha-colored skin and black hair, were browsing around a booth that was selling novelties. "It was a great idea coming here for the weekend," the girl, Kim, said to her friend, as she looked at some small plush black cats. "I just wish Fall Break didn't have to end so soon,"

"Yeah, but it'll be nice to go back on campus," the boy, Biff, replied; he chuckled at a shirt that read 'If You Think I'm A Witch, You Should See My Sister!'. He then looked around for their two other friends. "I wonder where Fangs and Puggsy ran off to?"

Kim looked down the street, spotting them by a booth selling 'poisoned' caramel apples. "There they are, c'mon!"

The duo walked towards the other duo… who were in the middle of an argument. "Look, I didn't mean to ruin her make-up! I thought she was a real witch!" Fangs, the tallest of the group, was saying to his best friend. "The way she was chanting, I thought she was going to put a curse on me!"

"That wasn't 'chanting', you meathead, she was rehearsing a poem for the play- which WE won't be able to see since you dumped a bucket of water on her!" Puggsy, the shortest of the group, sneered at Fangs.

Fangs cringed. "I said I was sorry. It's not my fault she gave a convincing performance!" he gave a jolt as two people dressed as a warlock and a skeleton walked by. "Why did I have to tag along, anyway? You know this sort of stuff freaks me out!"

Puggsy grabbed him by the shirt-collar, glaring at him. "Because YOU still owe us for dragging us to that Medieval Fair last month!"

The tall, lanky teen gave a shrug. "I just went to watch the knight jousting." He pulled away, grabbing a caramel apple off the stand and swishing it around. "Besides, you gotta admit it was pretty cool how they fought with their swords! One was all *swish* and the other was like *woosh!* and-"

*Splot!*

Fangs flinched, noticing that the caramel apple slipped off the stick… and stuck to Puggsy's forehead. "…Precisely why we're never going again," he groused, wiping the caramel off his head.

"That'll be $1," the lady running the booth demanded, and Fangs sheepishly chuckled, handing her a dollar quickly.

"Well… it wasn't SO bad. At least dressing in costume was fun, right?" Fangs continued saying to Puggsy.

By this time, Kim and Biff had arrived. "I'll admit, it kind of was." Kim joined in.

"Yeah- though wearing tights under some armor got pretty uncomfortable," Biff joked.

"I'll say. I'm never dressing in some medieval garb again," Puggsy scoffed.

Fangs rolled his eyes. He flinched when a woman dressed as a witch passed by. "It was still more fun than this place," he muttered.

Puggsy elbowed him. "Ah, shut up! You're just being a coward,"

"I am not! I've just been getting a bad feeling ever since we came here..." Fangs rubbed his arm, feeling a cold wind blow by. "Can we at least go inside? I'm starting to freeze,"

"It has gotten a little cold out," Kim acknowledged, feeling the chill as well, and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Let's head into this shop," Biff said, nodding over at a quaint little shop across the street. "I saw they were giving out hot apple cider,"

Agreeing to the idea, everyone entered the shop. It was more of an antique store, full of shelves and stands filled with cauldrons, tools, encased weapons, and old-fashioned wooden toys; however there were some odd things to, such as necklaces made from fangs and claws, rhinestones with odd symbols carved into them, and jars of colorful powders, all which promised to ward off evil spirits. On one wall, there was a stand that held an interesting-looking staff with a dark-purple gem held in a circled star-shaped frame, the handle of it black and having a scale-pattern to it.

"These are some crazified antiques," Puggsy commented, looking at a bottle labeled 'Eye of Newt'.

"Just something I bring out every season," came a voice, as the shopkeeper- an elderly man with a thick beard and cheerful smile stated. "It's mostly for festive fun. A lot of people like to fool around, believing that ghosts, witches, and werewolves exist. Any of you kids believe in that?"

Biff, Kim, and Puggsy paused, looking over at Fangs (who at the moment was looking at some old arrows in a glass case). Unbeknownst to most people, the lanky coward can turn into a werewolf, Fangface, at the sight of the moon, or anything that resembles it. However, Fangs himself was unaware of this fact, and never believed his friends when they tried to explain it to him.

Thankfully, Fangface wasn't like the killer, blood-thirsty kinds of werewolves talked about in myths and legends; actually, he was more of a hero, as he helped the teens out of tough situations, especially when it came to facing off with villainous masterminds. Outside of some of their foes, the werewolf wasn't much of a hassle…

…except for Puggsy. "In a way, yes. Unfortunately…" the short teen muttered, then browsed the bottles. "You have anything that repels weird-wolves?"

The old man chuckled, pointing left. "Wolfsbane, top shelf," he said.

Biff looked over, seeing the staff propped up near the back of the shop. "Would you check out the detail in this!" he said in awe. "This must have cost a fortune to make!"

"It probably costs a fortune to buy," Kim added, looking at it. Fangs and Puggsy walked over to take a look at the staff as well. She turned to the shopkeeper. "Where did you find it?"

"Some fellow donated it some time ago. Strange young man, he wore funny-looking clothes. He claimed he was 'sent' here to drop it off. Gave some sort of warning behind it too, claiming that no one should touch it- 'For if it happens that a person has magic within their veins and should cast a rune, the wand shall take them to a world unlike your own,' he said." The shopkeeper stated, rubbing his beard as he thought back. "It was quite unusual, but I decided to take it off his hands as he was itching to get rid of it. Didn't want a penny for it, though. It was enough to make me think it was cursed, so I decided to keep it in storage with my 'mystical' props, and tell the story to anyone who'd care to listen."

"So you believe the story?" Biff asked.

The old man shrugged. "Both yes and no. I believe that there must have been something wrong with that stick if he wanted to get rid of it so bad, but I don't think his little fable is true. For all I know, he might've just stolen it from someplace and wanted it kept hidden until the heat died down! I keep expecting him to show up again any day, asking if I still have it."

"Who was this man?" Kim inquired.

"No clue. Didn't get a name or anything- he just came, gave me the wand with a warning, then just vanished as if he never came at all." The man gave a short gasp. "Oh, I nearly forgot- would you kids like some apple cider? It's on the house,"

"Thank you," Biff replied, as the old man poured some hot cider into some Styrofoam cups.

Fangs and Puggsy, however, were still looking at the wand. The shorter teen gave his friend a nudge, smirking. "Dare ya to touch it," he stated with a smirk.

"But the guy said we couldn't!" Fangs replied.

"The guy who gave him the wand said no one could- you don't believe that story, do you?"

"N-no, of course not! There's no such thing as magic," Fangs crossed his arms indignantly. "Everyone knows that,"

"Then go on and touch it! Or are you chicken?"

Fangs gave him a glare. "I'll only touch it if you do!" he prodded his friend in the chest. "If, you're, so, tough!"

"Alright then, pinhead, you're on!"

Both of them reached for the wand, grabbing it and lifting it up. "Ha! See? Told you I'm not-t-t-t-t…t-t-the heck is going on?!" Fangs stammered, as the gem in the wand suddenly began to glow!

"What did you guys do?!" Kim cried, as she and Biff dropped their ciders and ran over.

"What in the world…?!" The shopkeeper gasped, shocked at the display before him.

"Put it down!" Biff exclaimed, as he and Kim tried to take the wand from their friends, but to no avail.

"I c-c-can't let it go!" Fangs stammered, as they ended up waving the wand around to get it out of their grasps, making lines in the air… and suddenly a bright symbol appeared within the lines, glowing brighter than the gem itself. "H-Huh?!"

"It's like it's stuck to us-" Puggsy yelped as the light grew brighter, and suddenly a mist began to envelope them. "Gah! What the jumping ignorpotomases?!"

"Someone help!" Kim cried.

The shopkeeper ran forth to assist the kids… but in a flash of light, they had disappeared, the mist lifting. He took several deep breaths, looking around the shop, rubbing his eyes as if feeling it was just a bizarre nightmare. He then remembered the warning he had told the kids about. "No… it couldn't be… could it?" he whispered to himself, stunned.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

For Fangs, what happened next seemed like a nightmarish drug-trip (or at least how he'd imagine one). The light flashed at it's brightest, and suddenly he and the others found themselves being pulled through a portal, leading God-knows-where!

All the lanky teen could do was scream. "AAAUUUGH! I KNEW SOMETHING BAD WAS GOING TO HAPPEN!" Fangs yelled, gripping the wand- involuntarily- as it pulled them through the vortex.

"SHUT UP AND BRACE YOURSELF! I THINK WE'RE ABOUT TO REACH OUR DESTINATIONARY!" Puggsy cried out, seeing the end of the portal.

All at once, they slipped out of the vortex, and dropped onto the ground of a large, green field. Everyone steadied their breaths, trying to calm their racing hearts, as they took in their new surroundings. "Where… where are we?" Kim gasped.

The area was made up of tall hills, with pathways leading to forests in the distance; a long mountain-range surrounded half the land, and not too far off was a sea coast. One outstanding feature were what appeared to be giant rib-like bones that jutted out of the ground, perhaps remains of some ancient creature. As for the living creatures… well, they were the most bizarre the gang had ever seen- and they had come across quite a few oddities in the past! They saw a herd of what appeared to be some sort of large, brown creatures with horns running down a path below, while strange-looking creatures that looked like sheep with unihorns ran along by a creek.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," Puggsy nervously quoted.

"…I thought we were just in Massachusetts?" Fangs questioned, not quite getting the reference.

"I don't know where we are either, but I do know one thing- this wand is the cause of this!" Biff stated, pointing at the wand, which lay on the ground before them.

"Well if it brought us here, it should take us back!" Puggsy sneered, gripping the wand in disdain and shaking it, but nothing happened.

"No way I'm touching that thing again," Fangs gulped, backing away from it. "Something else might happen!"

"Fangs is right. I think before we do anything else, we should at least find out where we are- much less the full story behind this wand," Biff suggested.

There came a snarling sound, and Kim looked over, gasping. "I-I think we've already found something- trouble!" she yelped, drawing everyone's attention to two dog-like creatures, who seemed ready to pick a fight.

"Yikes! What are those things?!" Fangs stammered.

"I don't know, but I don't like the way they're looking at us!" Puggsy stated as the creatures snarled, and ran towards them.

Biff quickly pulled out a picture of the moon. "There's only one person who can take them on- Fangs, look at this picture!" he said, quickly.

"Biff, this is no time for taking an interest in art-!" Fangs began to argue, until his eyes fell on the moon in the picture.

The lanky teen's eyes then began to swirl, orange smoke puffed out of his ears, and his head began to shift. All at once, he swirled around, spinning like a top. Once he stopped, in his place stood a werewolf with light-brown fur with tan paws, feet, tail-tip and muzzle, wearing nothing but a red baseball cap and baring a single fang. "Arrrooooooooooo!" Fangface howled, the werewolf looking around, turning in the direction of the attacking creatures. "*grr* You're in big trouble now!" He leaped-

…and tackled Puggsy to the ground. The two creatures paused, cocking their heads in confusion.

"Ha! You're in for it now, Pugs! *grr* I'm gonna rough you up good!" Fangface then began to shake his friend around.

"Let go of me, nit-wolf! We've got trouble!" Puggsy snapped, pointing at the two creatures, who had turned their attention to Biff and Kim and were about to lunge at them.

"Ooh, ooh, no one messes without dealing with ME first!" Fangface then ran at the two strange-looking dogs.

The dogs looked over their shoulders just in time for the werewolf to attack! In a dust-cloud, they got into a vicious brawl, before the two wild-mutts managed to get loose and stand before him, the werewolf snarling at them viciously. One of them ran at him, snapping at him, while the other one seemed to be shaking- but not in fear.

"Arroooo!" the second hound howled… and its voice was a lot louder than Fangface's- so much, that it caused an ear-splitting pain for everyone who heard it!

"Oww! Ooh, ooh, lower your voice!" Fangface yelped, the howl having caused damage to his hearing as well. Meanwhile, the mutt he was fighting suddenly rolled through the ground, bull-dozing him over! "Oof!" The werewolf landed on his back, seeing stars.

"Fangface! Are you alright?" Puggsy gasped, rushing to his friend's aid.

"…Strike… *grr*" Fangface said in a daze, but shook it off, getting back on his feet. "What kind of dogs are these?!"

"I don't know- but here they come again!"

The two wild mutts ran forth, but this time Fangface was more prepared. He leaped over them, landing behind and grabbing them by their short tails, and then began to spin, faster and faster before letting go, sending the creatures flying clear through the air, howling in defeat as they landed two hills over! "That'll teach 'em, *grr*" Fangface huffed, dusting his paws off.

"Did… did you see what those dogs did?!" Kim gasped. "One howled loud enough to stop a train, and the other was strong enough to knock Fangface off his feet!"

"And the rest of these creatures can probably do worse, unless we can get to safety," Biff stated, scouting the area; he pointed northward. "Hey, I see a town up ahead!"

Everyone looked, seeing what appeared to be a stone-walled kingdom in the distance. "Let's hurry and get there then- I don't want to find out what other monsters roam around out here," Puggsy said.

"Ooh, ooh, same here! *grr*" Fangface agreed, then paused, looking around. "Um… hey guys? Where exactly ARE we?"

"That's what we're going to find out… I hope," Biff said, and the gang headed down the path leading to the town in the distance.

Hopefully, they wouldn't come across any more trouble.


	3. A Long Night

_A figure sat in a dark, damp cave. Not a single creature could be seen or heard stirring, and the only light came from glowing chains that bound him. Next to him was a massive figure that was also bound tightly, but remained in the shadows._

_Tobias had been imprisoned for thousands of years. He would have died ages ago… but he found a way to stay immortal. He wasn't going to die until he regained his wand and seized control of the world once more._

_How foolish Nilrem had been, believing that by banishing his wand the Sorcerer Sadist would be rendered powerless, as he put all his dark magic in the staff. But, Tobias knew his old friend too well- he knew he'd aim to destroy the wand, such is how he managed to find a way to make sure no one else could destroy it…_

_And placed a spell on it before its banishment- a curse, that someone with magic would return the wand to him at a specific time. He could not make it to when he was first imprisoned- no, he made sure that it would be in a time when he had regained a bit of strength… a time when no one knew he even existed._

_It may have took a few hundred centuries, but the wait was worth it, as he sensed his wand's presence returning to this realm…_

_His eyes glowed violet, and he grinned. "It's finally time," he said, his voice raspy as he had not used it since he was imprisoned. He turned to the large figure near him. "Time to wake our comrades, my friend,"_

_The large figure let out a growl, sounding something like a chuckle. "Yes, master…" it replied, and its eyes glowed bright red._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Uaahh!" Marcassin gasped, sitting up in his bed in alarm after the horrid vision invaded his dreams. He steadied his breath, resting his head in his palm. "Oh, thank God… just a nightmare…" He looked at the clock on the wall, seeing it was only 9:30 at night. He had only been asleep half an hour…

 _Or… was it?_ The young sage wondered, thinking about the nightmare. He looked over at his nightstand, where a scroll lay- it was about the technological trades between Hamelin and Nazcaa, back in ancient times; Cassiopeia had allowed him to take it with him, as she believed it might be of some use to his empire as well.

Thinking about the witch queen alongside his nightmare, he suddenly felt concern welling up inside him, and knew sleep would not come back to him until his mind was clear of any impending danger. Climbing out of bed and pulling his dark-blue robe on, he decided to head to the kitchen and brew some tea to help calm his nerves.

On the way there, he heard a *clang* from his brother's room, followed by a muttered 'Dammit!' from his brother himself. Curious as to what his brother was up to this late at night, Marcassin walked over and tapped his fist on the door. "Gascon? Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, just... trying to get these gears back in place," Swaine replied, and Marcassin heard him walking over, before he opened the door. "What are you doing up? I figured you'd be wiped out after today,"

Marcassin sighed a bit- after they helped Cassiopeia that afternoon, they had returned to their kingdom only to be met with a few tasks to handle, such as helping with work on new machinery, helping in replacing underground gears in the city streets, checking on a few steam engines to make sure none were overheating or malfunctioning, and going over a few documents on upcoming and recent trades. As for the morning, they had to double-check all the kingdom's functions, checking on the recruiting progress for new grunts in their armed forces, set up schedules for meeting with other royals and sages, and meet with various commoners who requested audience with the Emperor and prince about certain matters, such as resources, conflicts about property, or a few illegal items that shop-owners were caught selling (outside the Black Market)… all of this happening before lunch.

Hey, no one said being royalty was a luxury.

"I had been asleep… but I was woken by a vision," Marcassin told Swaine, shifting a bit. "A dark vision- I don't know whether to disregard it as a mere nightmare, or consider it as a foreshadowing,"

Swaine paused a beat, then rested a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Well, don't keep me in the dark. What was it about?" he asked, guiding his brother over to his desk, where he had disassembled one of his guns (his Cad's Cannon, to be specific), having been working on it before his brother came to his door. He motioned Marcassin to pull up a chair, and they both sat down.

The youngest brother began to tamper with a few gears, following the blue-prints the elder prince had laying out. When they were children, they would always work on projects together when discussing something, as if the work would help ease whatever stress they had on their minds. "I dreamt I was in a dark cavern, and before me sat a dark figure bound in glowing chains. He mentioned something about 'waking some comrades' to a large creature… then all I saw were red eyes before I was scared awake," Marcassin paused in his work, turning to Swaine. "What do you make of it, Gascon?"

Swaine was quiet a moment, only focusing on getting a gear back into place, before answering, "Probably just a nightmare, based on what we read in those books today. You were worried about the whereabouts of that evil wand, so your subconscious just dreamed up some vision of that 'sadistic sage', or whatever he was called, in his prison or whatnot." He paused in his work, leaning back and rubbing his stubble. "Either that, or we're in for another thrill…"

Marcassin sighed heavily. "Let us hope it's just a nightmare, then… Things got bad enough when Shadar was around- I'd hate to deal with a foe worse than a heart-breaking Dark Djinn,"

"…Much less a corrupted witch who turned people into monstrous ghouls due to a bunch of Zodiarch assholes," Swaine added, then patted his brother on the back. "But, I wouldn't worry about it. Unless that wand shows up here, I'd say we put it out of mind for the time being. It's not like it would be much of a threat to us anyway, considering what we've already dealt with,"

The young sage looked at his brother. "How is it that you never seem to worry about any warning signs, but once danger comes around you're in a panic?"

Swaine rolled his eyes. "I never panic. And I don't worry about things until after they happen- otherwise, I'd never sleep at night." He stifled a yawn. "Speaking of which, I say we both turn in. You wouldn't want to visit Cassiopeia looking bedraggled, would you?" he said this last statement with a wink.

Marcassin blushed. "Oh, come off it, Gascon! We're merely friends! Besides, with Nazcaa's construction being underway, I doubt Cassiopeia would even consider the idea of courting anyone, especially since she's still getting used to having company,"

Swaine chuckled. "Take it easy, I was just joking," he stood up, leading his brother to the door. "Seriously, don't worry about some nightmare unless it comes true. In the meantime, get some sleep- we've got a busy day tomorrow. We have to check out the oil wells south of the gorge, remember?"

Marcassin sighed, nodding. "You make a good point, brother. Goodnight, then,"

Swaine shut the door behind his brother, then walked over to his bed, letting out a heavy sigh.

What he didn't want to tell Marcassin was that he had a similar nightmare… only it was about the wand returning to the world. _It was just a stupid dream. Unless something happens, don't worry about it too soon._ He told himself… though knew he would be keeping his guard up, in case the matching dreams were not a coincidence.

And he was deeply hoping they were just that.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

While the two rulers in Hamelin were trying to resume sleep, a certain werewolf and his friends had arrived in a stone-walled city, just as the sun went down. The trek had been exhausting- thankfully no other creatures came to attack them. Once they reached the gate, they were greeted by two guards… wearing medieval helmets… with cat-ears…?

"Welcome, travelers, to Ding Dong Dell- Court of the Cat King," one of the guards said in greeting. "What brings you to our fair kingdom?"

Everyone stood there, blinking. "Um… well… actually… we're a bit lost," Biff explained, awkwardly. "Where exactly is this place? What country is this?"

"Why, you're in the Summerlands, of course! A bit new at travelling, are you?" the second guard replied.

"Only around these parts," Puggsy remarked.

The first guard gave his partner a nudge. "Hold it… look at their clothes," he whispered, pointing out how the gang's attire seemed a bit… unusual in their perspective. "Do you suppose…?"

The second guard gave the gang a good look. "Ah! I see! Well, that makes sense then. You come from another realm, don't you?" he guessed.

"Another realm?" Kim questioned.

"Another realm? Us? *grr* No way, nuh-uh, no sir!" Fangface scoffed, shaking his head… then paused, thoughtful. "Um… say, what is a 'realm', anyway?"

"Yes, unless you have come from a country we have yet to hear of, I'd say you all come from a world outside that of our own, Ni No Kuni." The first guard stated.

"Ninny-what?" Puggsy questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"Ni-No-Ku-Ni. It is the world of which you have found yourselves," The second guard replied. "…You are not the first visitors from another world. A young boy has also travelled here from his own world of 'Motorville'. Quite a nice lad- helped my comrade here get his enthusiasm back!"

"Yes, perhaps you'll run into him while you're here," The first guard added.

"Another world… it's just like what that story said!" Biff whispered to himself. He then turned to the first guard. "Do you know how we could get back to our world?"

"You mean you don't know how?" The first guard turned to the second. "…well, that's the first time I've heard that one,"

"I'm afraid we won't be much help to you on that subject," the second guard sighed. "In order to travel between worlds, you would have to learn the 'Gateway' spell- that is, if any of you happen to be wizards."

"Um, I don't think so…" Kim replied.

"Tell you what- since you're all newcomers, we'll treat you to a stay at the Cat's Cradle. It's already nightfall, and you all look like you've already gone through a long journey," The first guard suggested.

"Right- a night at the Inn will help you all rest up." The second added, leading the group into the kingdom.

The gang looked around. Despite it was dark, a few lanterns were aglow… and walking around town were not only people, but a few humanoid cats as well! A ball rolled into their path and bumped against Biff's leg, and he watched as a small cat-girl in a long-sleeved dress ran up and grabbed it, giving him a polite smile before running back over to her friends.

"Pugs… I see cat people!" Fangface said to his friend.

The second guard chuckled. "Don't have grimalkins from your world, I take it." He guessed with a grin. "Though to be fair, I've never seen a creature like you before, either. What race is your species, pray tell?"

"I'm a werewolf! *grr* Hard to believe no one here has heard of one before,"

"Well, I'm sure they will once everyone meets you. Here is the Inn," The guard handed Biff a handful of gold coins. "Here's 80 guilders- should be enough for a night's stay, as well as a good meal."

Biff gawked. "W-We couldn't possibly accept-!" he began to resist.

"I insist. Consider it a hospitable gesture. Actually, considering our Inn has the least cost out of others, it's not really much."

"So this is the currency in your world?" Kim asked, looking at the coins. She then turned to her friends. "What are we going to do if we need to buy more things? Until we find a way back home, we'll be stuck here a while,"

"Oh, earning money is easy in this world!" The guard pointed up a path, at a bird-like shop. "Up there is Swift Solutions. They can give you a Merit Card; with one, you'll be able to perform favors for others, as well as complete a few bounties posted, earning not only guilders but a few prizes as well. Many people are always posting a few problems on the errand board, so there may be some tasks you can undertake." He then turned towards the gate. "I need to get back to my post now. If you come across any problems, just give a holler," with that, he walked off.

The gang exchanged glances. "So, what should we do now?" Biff asked.

"Take that guard's offer and get some sleep, I'd say," Puggsy replied, rubbing his face. "This delusion of a trip is giving me a migraine,"

"Sleep does sound like the best option right now," Kim agreed. "We'll be able to find more answers after a good night's rest,"

Entering the Inn, they were welcomed by an adult grimalkin. "Welcome to the Cat's Cradle! I'm the purrprioter of our luxurious inn. How may I help you?" she asked.

"We'd like some rooms for the night," Biff said.

"Excellent! That well be 40 guilders, please," Biff paid her, and she handed them four room-keys. "Have a nice stay!"

Climbing the stairs and heading to the rooms numbered on their keys, the gang turned in for the night… finding that the hotel beds looked like oversized cat-beds, but with pillows and blankets.

"This is one crazified world…" Puggsy muttered, but decided to hold his criticisms for the night, collapsing on the bed.

*Knock knock knock*

He looked up, sighing. "If that's who I think it is…" he walked over to the door, answering to see Fangface- just as he expected. "What is it, nit-wolf?"

"I just wanted to see if you had a giant cat-bed too," Fangface looked over his friend's shoulder. "Ooh, ooh, so I was right! *grr* Huh, no wonder they call it the 'Cat's Cradle'!"

Puggsy gave him an annoyed look. "Are you going to keep me up talking about cat-themes, or was there something else you needed? Because I need sleep!"

Fangface rubbed his arm, shifting in embarrassment. "Well, actually… *grr* I was wondering if we could share a room. You know, it's my first time sleeping in a different world *grr* and I figured I'd sleep better if I were with my best pal," he gave his best friend the puppy-eyes. "Pleeeeeaaaase?"

The short teen sighed, grumbling a bit. "Fine… but if you end up prowling in your sleep again, you're sleeping outside!"

"Deal!" Fangface then ran in and dove on the bed, curling up. "You know, for giant cat-beds, these sure are comfy!"

Puggsy only sighed, lying down on the other side.

About five minutes later, the werewolf had dosed off, and the teen began to drift off…

Until Fangface rolled over, pulling all the blankets onto his side.

Puggsy gave him an irritated look, and tried to pull the blankets back. Fangface snarled in his sleep, and the teen let go. He grimaced, rolling on his side and wrapping his arms around himself.

It was going to be a long night…


	4. The Case of the Disappearing Friends

Kim lied in the giant cat-bed, unable to sleep. Despite the room was quite nice, the bed was comfy, and her friends were just down the hall, she found it impossible to sleep, knowing they were in another world, sent here because of that wand.

She stood up, pacing around while thinking about that story, as well as remembering what that guard had said about another boy from a 'different realm' visiting often, with the use of magic it was easy to guess. That story had also said that anyone with magic who touched the wand would be sent to another world- and it had started glowing when Fangs and Puggsy had touched it, but didn't begin to transport them until she and Biff grabbed it.

 _I wonder if one of us IS a wizard._ She wondered as she looked out the window, which gave a nice view of the kingdom. She had to admit, as bizarre as the world seemed, the scenery was quite nice- as if they had been sent back to medieval times. She saw a couple men entering their homes, wearing old-fashioned clothing such as tunics, leggings, and boots; remembering the guards' reaction to their clothes, it was no wonder they easily guessed they were from another part of the universe.

Looking at the cat-people, or 'grimalkins' as they were called, she wondered what other kinds of creatures lived in this world- hopefully they wouldn't run into any of the 'wild' ones like what they had encountered out in the field.

Sighing, the teen decided to lie down and attempted to get some sleep…

" _Kim! Hey, Kim, are you awake?"_

She gasped a bit, hearing a voice coming from the door. "Huh? Who's there?"

"It's just me," The voice belonged to Biff. "I saw something outside- meet me out there, quick!"

"A-Alright, wait up!" Kim hurried to the door, walking out to the hall but seeing her friend nowhere. Whatever was outside must have been something big, if her friend couldn't wait for her. She ran downstairs, seeing that the Purrprioter was no longer at the desk, with a sign reading 'Back in 10' on the desk. She ran out the door, looking around but still no sign of her friend. "Biff? Where are you?"

"Over here! Hurry, you gotta see this!" came her friend's voice from around an archway.

Kim ran over, now standing by a water-wheel. The streets were quiet and empty, and the only light came from a few dim lanterns. The night's child was setting in, and she was wishing her friend wanted to show her something inside…

She paused. What was Biff doing outside late at night in the first place?

The mystery was solved when a shadow loomed over her. She turned around-

She was taken before she could even scream.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_4:45 PM, Monday_

_Motorville_

Oliver walked out of the garage, wearing an old white T-shirt stained with grease and oil, some worn-out jeans, and a pair of brown work-gloves which he took off. As soon as school was let out that day, he and his best friend, Phillip, met up at the garage to start working on building a new hot-rod. When he wasn't practicing spells in Ni No Kuni, the young wizard would be helping out his friend in his garage.

"She's coming along real great, ain't she?" Phillip asked as he walked out with him. "I figure by next month she'll be ready to ride!"

"You really think so?" Oliver replied, wiping a bit of grime off his face.

"Wouldn't doubt it," Phillip looked at his watch. "Ah, damn, I gotta get home! Mom'll kill me if I'm not cleaned up by dinner, again!" he took off down the alley, going around to the front of his house. "See ya later, Ollie!"

"See ya, Phil!" Oliver called back, then began walking home. He looked at his own watch, seeing it was getting close to six. Miss Leila would be closing up the shop by then, so he had a few extra minutes to get cleaned up himself before she started dinner.

"Oliver!" came a call, and he turned to see another friend of his, Myrtle Cartwright- who also happened to be Esther's soul-mate. Just like the familiar-tamer, she had long blonde hair and bright blue eyes- the only difference was she always wore her hair down, and wore long dresses. Today, she had her hair tied back, and wore a violet dress with white sleeves.

"Hi, Myrtle! What's up?" Oliver replied in greeting.

"I just wanted to talk to you. I was wondering if you would be around a lot during Fall Break? I notice you keep taking off somewhere else… and when you return, you're always wearing those odd clothes,"

Oliver shifted. "Um… well, it kind of depends on what all I have to do…"

"It has something to do with your magic, right?"

"M-Magic?"

Myrtle giggled. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. You probably think everyone would believe you to be crazy, right?"

"Um, well…"

She chuckled. "It's alright. I don't think you're crazy," she developed a thoughtful look on her face. "Actually… I feel like I've seen you at it before. I don't know why, but I often have dreams where we've travelled together,"

"Well… It does have something to do with magic… but it's really hard to explain."

Myrtle nodded. "I understand. It's okay- actually, with my dreams, I always feel you're always around." She smiled. "I guess it's just my heart telling me that, no matter where someone goes, they'll always be with me,"

Oliver smiled, nodding. "That's a great way to explain it."

"Well, good luck with your magic, Oliver. Just try not to be gone too much- I like hanging out with you in person more than dreams,"

Oliver blushed. "Thanks. Maybe we can meet up sometime,"

"My family and I are going off to visit my grandma for a couple days this week… but how about on Friday, after I get back? We could go to the movies or something!"

"Sure, sounds good!"

"See you then!" Myrtle then took off, waving to Oliver as she walked off.

Oliver waved back, then let out a heavy sigh. He really wished he could tell his Motorville friends about Ni No Kuni… maybe even take them to the parallel world so they could see for themselves. But, he knew he couldn't, as he didn't know how they would react. Probably not as well as he did, he figured.

He couldn't help but wonder if they would understand, if he did show them…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"I don't understand this at all!" Puggsy exclaimed as he, Biff, and Fangface sat by a fountain. "Where could she have gone?"

It was morning in Ding Dong Dell, as the three teenage boys wandered around the town. As soon as sunlight filtered through the windows, Biff had woken up and- after realizing the whole otherworldly experience wasn't some sort of dream- decided to get a head start on figuring out more of the different world, perhaps find help on how to get home.

He had went around his friends' rooms to see if everyone was awake; Fangface and Puggsy were already up, and met up with him in the hall as he knocked on Kim's door… only to find her door was unlocked and she was nowhere in sight. Thinking she perhaps went outside to look around the Cat Kingdom, they went out. There were plenty of shops around the town, perhaps she wanted to browse around.

After two hours of searching and asking around, however, it was clear something had happened to their friend.

"Kim wouldn't just take off without telling us *grr* …would she?" Fangface questioned, worried about Kim.

"Something definitely happened to her… Question is, what, and who is behind it?" Biff asked aloud.

"I get the feeling whoever made Kim disappeariate is also the owner of this wand," Puggsy sneered, looking at the wand in disdain.

"Let's split up and ask around one more time. Someone's sure to have seen her!" Biff stated. "We'll meet back at the Inn in twenty minutes,"

"Right." Puggsy turned to Fangface as the teen leader walked off. "You heard him, Fangface- go sniff around for Kim- I'm going to go check over this way. And remember- be careful! Whoever took Kim might be after us next,"

Fangface gave a salute. "*grr* You can count on me, Pugs! I won't rest until Kim is found! Aroo!" With that, the werewolf took off towards an archway with some steps leading to the upper-part of the kingdom.

Puggsy walked towards a small shop, when he noticed something that had missed his eye- a set of stairs leading down to a sewer! Standing near the steps was a little boy wearing a pot on his head and holding a broom- which, compared to all he had seen so far, seemed to be the least oddest thing in the town. "Hey, kid, have you've seen a girl around here? Dark skin, black hair, wearing a purple sweater?" he asked the boy.

The boy shook his head. "Nope, the only thing I've been keeping a lookout for are mice- I'm trying to keep them down in the sewer!" he replied in a determined tone.

Puggsy arched an eyebrow, questioning why a little boy would be so set on handling a vermin problem. "What's the big deal about a few mice? They carrying the plague or something?"

"I have no idea what that is… but I'm not letting them by to find out!" the boy then looked Puggsy up-and-down, arching his eyebrow next. "Say… where are you from? I've never seen funny-looking clothes like that before!"

"Funny-looking?! I'm not the one wearing cookware on my head, kid!"

"My mom won't let me buy a helmet yet! Besides, it looks a lot better than your-" the boy did a double-take, looking over. "HEY! GET BACK DOWN IN THE SEWER, YOU BIG RODENT!"

Puggsy looked over… shaking his head and looking again when he saw the biggest mouse ever put on the planet! It had light-purple fur, an 'X' across its face, and was holding a staff.

The other shoe dropped when the mouse spoke! "AUGH! Dammit you brat, can't you tell I'm royalty! Eek!" the giant mouse yelped in a high-pitched tone, racing back into the sewers.

Puggsy blinked, then walked away, deciding to keep searching for Kim. No way she'd be in a sewer with giant rodents.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Fangface sniffed around by a large headstone, finding no trace of Kim. "Ooh, ooh, I've never been this stumped since we started studying algebra!" he said to himself, scratching his head and looking around. He looked over an edge, which gave a view of the village below. He then hopped down, landing on a house-top before sliding down to the street, startling a couple people though they only told him to watch where he was going.

 _For a world without werewolves, these people sure take to seeing one lightly._ He thought, looking around at a few grimalkins. Near a shop in the shape of a crow, he saw a raven-like creature wearing an outfit and entering. _…Then again, I guess with so many animal-people around, there's no reason for the hype._

He kept looking around the town, coming across a small pot. Despite there was no chance Kim would be in such a small space, he looked in anyway; he didn't find his friend, but he did find some of those strange coins like the ones that nice guard had given to Biff. "Huh? Who would leave their money in a jar?" he questioned, looking at them, seeing on one side there was a picture of a strange symbol, and on the other side was a picture of the sun.

Just as opposite as his human counterpart, whenever Fangface saw the sun or even a picture of it, he would transform back into Fangs. Spinning around like a top once more, the lanky teen reappeared… and was confused on his whereabouts. "W-What the…? H-How did I get here?! Where is everyone?!" he stammered.

A little grimalkin girl, who had noticed his transformation, ran up to him in awe. "Hey, mister, how on earth did you do that?" she asked.

"Did what…?" Fangs looked… and his heart skipped several beats upon seeing a cat-like girl. "Yeow! A t-t-talking cat?!"

The little grimalkin looked around. "Do you mean me, sir? …Ah, you must be new to our town. Where are you from?" she looked at him closely, seeing he was shaking and losing color. "Meoh, you look purretty pale. Are you ill?"

"I think I'm about to be… I g-g-gotta find the others!" Fangs then took off down the street. "BIFF! PUGS! KIM! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

The little grimalkin itched her head in confusion. "What an odd man…"

Fangs kept running, looking around and seeing cat-people and humans alike, walking around or chatting with one another. _Where am I? How did I get here? Where are the others? Why did I have to take Puggsy up on that stupid dare?!_ He kept questioning in his mind. "Pugs! Guys! Anyone?!"

Down around the corner, Puggsy heard his friend's shout, and he let out a heavy sigh. "Of all times for him to change back…" he muttered, then started running in the direction of his friend. "Fangs! Over here!"

Fangs turned, going down some steps. "Pugs?" he ran through an archway, seeing his friend…

Someone grabbed him by the shoulder just then. He turned… only seeing a pair of glowing, cerulean eyes.

Puggsy ran around the corner, only seeing Fangs standing by someone before *snap!* they disappeared! "What the…?!" he gasped, blinking several times to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. He ran over to the spot…

…seeing his friend's cap lying on the ground.


	5. Looking for Help, Finding Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up! This is where the characters start meeting each other! :D Who meets who? Read to find out!

Biff ran over, seconds after Fangs vanished. "I thought I heard Fangs screaming! Where is he?" he asked, a bit out of breath from running.

"You're not going to believe it, but he ended up disappeariating too! Literately!" Puggsy said, as he held up Fangs' cap. He pointed to the spot where the lanky teen had been standing. "He was here for one second, then in a blink he's gone!"

"Did you see anything else?! Some sort of clue on how it happened?"

"Yeah… something was with him, but I couldn't get a good look before they both vanished into skinny air,"

Biff sighed in worry and aggravation. "We've got to get help- c'mon, lets head to the guards! They had to have seen something!"

They ran to the gates of the kingdom, running up to the guards, who were looking at some sort of footprints in the ground. "Hey! Have you two seen anything suspicious? Our friends have been kidnappified!" Puggsy said to them.

"A kidnapping? When did this happen?" The first guard asked.

"One of our friends disappeared just minutes ago… I don't know how long Kim has been missing- probably since last night!" Biff said, beginning to lose his nerve. If something happened to Kim or Fangs…

"We didn't see or hear of anyone entering town…" the second guard replied, then looked back at the ground. "But, perhaps this could serve as some clue. While we were switching out with the night-watch, these footprints suddenly appeared… but they don't seem to resemble any of a creature we've ever seen before,"

Biff and Puggsy looked at the footprints, seeing they resembled three-toed hoof-prints with a back claw… only instead of leading towards the kingdom, they lead out to the field. "What do you think? You think whatever made these tracks took Kim and Fangs?" Biff asked Puggsy.

"All I know is one thing…" Puggsy groused, then held up the wand. "I'm going to snap this wand for bringing us here!"

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!*

The two guards covered their ears in pain, as well as the two teens; Biff was the first to look up… seeing a three-headed creature dive-bombing towards them! "LOOK OUT!" he yelled, running towards Puggsy, but was knocked down by one of the heads.

"AUGH!" Puggsy screamed, as the creature nabbed him with a clawed hand.

Biff stood up, looking up and running in the direction the creature was going. "PUGGSY!"

"Go warn the king!" The first guard shouted to his comrade, as he ran after Biff. "Wait! You don't have any weapons to fight with!"

Biff didn't listen, continuing to pursue the creature… but it was flying high and flying fast, and was out of sight by the time he reached the shoreline, losing his footing in the sand and hitting the water. "No… no, this can't be happening!" he stammered to himself, looking around for any kind of solution. It wasn't the first time any of his friends ended up missing or captured- but they always had a way to get out and free one another.

But, that was back in their world.

Here… Biff didn't know what could happen. He didn't even understand why this was happening!

He needed a plan.

He needed help.

The teen leader ran back towards the kingdom- perhaps those guards could rally some troops and help track down the beast. He didn't realize he had ran so far, as the kingdom seemed to be a mile away from the coast- or perhaps it only felt like that, as his legs were growing sore from running. But he pressed on, not planning on slowing down until he found a way to get his friends back…

But, with such rotten luck, he ran into an obstacle.

Two, actually.

Standing before him were two more strange creatures- one looked like an elephant, but standing on two legs and having arms like that of a body-builders! The other looked like a brown rhino but with a long, whip-like tail.

"No… not now… I gotta save the others!" Biff snapped, trying to run around them, but the two creatures ran and blocked his path.

The rhino-like one charged at him, whipping at him with his tail; Biff dodged, but while doing so ended up too close to the elephant-creature, getting smacked to the ground by its trunk! The rhino then suddenly summoned a rock right out of the ground, throwing it at him. Biff gasped and shielded his face, grunting in pain when the rock smashed against his arms.

He rolled out of the way when the elephant charged at him again. _What is with these things?! Do all creatures in this world just attack people like this?!_ He wondered, but wasn't focused on finding answers— he needed to escape!

He got up and ran towards a tree up a hill, the creatures pursuing him. He was almost there when, *wham!* he was hit with a blast of air, the impact making him hit the ground. He looked, seeing two more creatures coming at him! One was a blue eagle-like creature, and the other was what appeared to be a… lizard biting on its tail and rolling like a tire? He didn't have time to wonder about that last one, as the eagle spread out its wings, in a manner that had a blast of air hit him again, making him stumble when he had tried to get up. The lizard itself rolled towards him at great speed, ramming into his stomach and knocking him onto his back.

The four creatures then surrounded him, all preparing to attack him. The teen leader wanted to run, to cry out, to do anything to get away… but these were no ordinary animals. Everything they did to him seemed to have taken the energy right out of him, and he was too weak to move. _I just wanted to help my friends…_ he thought, wincing as the monsters closed in on him.

There came a *meep!* sound, as suddenly another creature dove into the fight! Unlike the rest, however, Biff couldn't tell what kind of species it was. It was a small, blue creature wearing dark-blue armor, having horns sticking out of the side of its head… and carrying a sword and shield! What really surprised him was that the creature didn't seem focused on him, but the monsters attacking… and then attacked them!

It swung its sword at the lizard, the blow so powerful the lizard fell on its side and disappeared in a puff of smoke! The eagle and rhino charged at the same time, but the blue-skinned warrior sliced its blade in an arc, knocking them both back and- like the lizard- causing them to disappear in smoke. The elephant came charging at the creature… who then grabbed what appeared to be a golden ball of light floating down.

Biff watched as, with perfect grace and technique, the unknown creature leaped around the air, swinging its sword in such a pattern at the elephant that it appeared to have sliced every part of it! The monster fell in defeat, and *poof!* was no longer in the field.

The teen breathed heavily, looking at the creature who just saved his life… watching as it shrunk down to a ball of light… and floated into the chest of a small boy with reddish-brown hair, dark blue eyes, wearing a blue tunic, red cape, white pants, brown boots, and carrying a wand and book. "Are you alright?" the boy asked.

Biff wanted to thank him, wanted to ask him about the unknown creature, wanted to ask who this boy was… and wanted to know why a bizarre creature wearing a one-pieced green suit, having a lantern on its face, was standing right next to him…

But, with no more energy to spare, he instead passed out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Oliver had decided to visit the parallel world after dinner, having told Miss Leila he was going to go on a camping trip with some friends and would be back in three day's time. He would be camping, of course, and he would be with friends- but he would be doing it in a different world. He decided to spend part of his Fall Break with Esther, Swaine, and Mr. Drippy, as well as helping Cassiopeia out if needed.

He had stopped by the Fairy Grounds first, inviting Mr. Drippy along on the trip- to which the fairy demanded why he wasn't informed of it sooner, but kindly accepted as he missed the young wizard- and they had decided to make a stop at Ding Dong Dell, as the wizard remembered an errand he had to fulfill, and figured the reward could benefit their plans…

But, he didn't expect his plans to be put on hold, when they saw the frantic guards out front. "…ran out there without any sort of protection?!" one of them was stating, shocked. "Why didn't you go after him?!"

"I tried, but a couple beasts got in my way! By the time I sent them off, he was out of sight!" the other had said.

"What's going on?" Oliver asked.

"Oliver! Oh thank God, perhaps you could help," the first guard- whose heart the wizard had restored- stated. "Someone's in trouble!"

"What kind of trouble?" Mr. Drippy inquired.

"We're not sure yet- we just know that some lad's friends have been taken away… one of them swiped up by this horrid monster!" the second guard replied.

"It took off for the coast… and the poor lad ran after it!" The first guard explained, pointing towards the shoreline. "He took off that way- I tried to follow, but some beasts delayed me… That boy has no way to protect himself, either!"

"Of course he wouldn't- you'd think he'd have some sort of sense to prepare himself, being in a different world!"

"Different world?!" Oliver and Mr. Drippy both repeated, stunned. Someone else from another world was in Ni No Kuni?

"Right- I think you'd be of help to him, Oliver. You're an expert on this sort of thing!" The first guard stated.

"Well, let's not waste time then! Let's go find this lad!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed.

"Right, lets hurry!" Oliver stated, and he and Mr. Drippy took off towards the coast.

"God speed, Oliver!" the second guard called to him, and he and his comrade went to spread warning through the kingdom about [yet another] monster attack.

Oliver didn't have to go too far, before he saw someone being swarmed by creatures on a hill. Summoning his familiar, Mitey, without delay, he beat the creatures and saved the teen…

Unfortunately, the stranger from another world took too much of a beating, and lay unconscious. "Pooer lad couldn't put up a fight, I take it," Mr. Drippy stated, as he and Oliver examined the teen.

"Look at him… I think he comes from my world!" Oliver stated.

"Well, where did ye think he'd be from, Yule? Anyone can tell he en't from this world jus' by lookin' at his clothes!"

Oliver ignored the fairy's criticisms, and checked the teen's pockets, finding a wallet with a driver's license. "Huh? Jeepers… Mr. Drippy, look at this!"

Mr. Drippy looked at the license, reading it. "'Name: Biff Dexter. Height: 6'3". Weight: 131 lb. Born: Sept. 9th, 1960' … **_1960?!"_** The fairy gawked. "Flippin' heck, either time's sped up in youer world faster than here, or this bugger's from the future!"

"But… how did he get here?" Oliver closed the wallet, sticking it back in the teen's pocket.

The fairy crossed his arms. "Well, we won't get any answers while he's unconscious, will we? Use some healing tonics on him an' wake him up!"

Oliver nodded, reaching into his bottomless bag and pulling out a potion labeled 'Phoenix Tear', not only healing the teen of all the bruises and scratches he gained from the attack, but also restoring him to consciousness. "He's waking up,"

The teen moaned, slowly sitting up and rubbing his head. "What happened…?" he mumbled, before looking over at Oliver. "Who… who are you?"

"We were jus' about to ask you th' same thing, mun!" Mr. Drippy replied.

The teen looked at him, letting out a yelp. "Gah! W-What is that thing?!"

Mr. Drippy gawked. "'Thing'?! I en't a 'thing', mun! I'm Drippy, Lord High Lord of the Fairies!" he then wagged his stubby hand at the teen in a scolding manner. "An' don't stare, lad, it's rude!"

The teen blinked several times. "S-Sorry… it's just… I've been seeing so many strange things…" he then gasped, standing up. "…and my friends are in danger! I have to find them!"

"Calm down, we'll help you!" Oliver promised, resting a hand on his shoulder to calm his trembling. "You're from another world, aren't you?"

"Yes- everyone keeps saying that!" He took a deep breath, calming himself so not to lose his nerves again. "My friends and I were brought here… well, more like 'cast' here after finding this wand at a shop. Then, suddenly, everyone began to disappear- I saw one of my friends getting taken away by some three-headed monster, heading in that direction!" he pointed towards the sea; he began to wince, wondering how far away each of his friends were… as well as hoping they were still alive. "I've got to find them…"

"An' ye will, lad! But, ye can't jus' go runnin' off after every monster that snags youe're pals- ye need to prepare youerself first, like!" Mr. Drippy told him. "Get better equipped, load up on provisions, an' most important map out a strategy!"

"But… we don't have time! I-I have to find them-!"

"Ye won't be much help to 'em if youe're all frantic! Now CALM DOWN!" Leaping up in the air to shout this, the fairy caused the boy to stumble back and land on his rear. "First o' all, tell us more about what happened. Describe this 'wand' ye brought up- an' speak slowly, now. 'Won't help to ramble through details,"

The teen drew in a deep breath, calming himself before speaking. "In my world… my friends and I were in a shop. We saw a weird-looking wand, and the shop owner told us a story about a man giving it to him, claiming that anyone with magic within themselves will be transported to another world. Two of my friends- Fangs and Puggsy- touched it, and suddenly it began to glow. My other friend, Kim, and I tried to get them to put it down, but somehow none of us could let it go. Before any of us knew it, we were landing in this field."

"Did the wand do anything else?" Oliver asked.

The teen shook his head. "No… except…" he began to ponder. "I wonder if maybe it caused whatever took my friends to appear." He paused, thinking back. "Puggsy had the wand out, and seconds later some monster took him."

Oliver rubbed his chin, pacing in concern. A wand suddenly bringing others from another world AND time to Ni No Kuni… and suddenly some of them end up missing- kidnapped, more likely, perhaps because whoever took them was after the wand.

Mr. Drippy noticed the young wizard in deep thought. "Got some deductions, Ollie-boy?" he asked.

"Yeah… A few days ago, Swaine, Marcassin, Cassiopeia and I found a story, about how the Wizard King had banished a wand out of its time and out of Ni No Kuni. Its wielder, an evil sorceress named Tobias, used it for dark purposes before he was sealed away forever- the wand was banished so no one could do the same things he had done." He turned to the stranger. "And you said it sent you back to this time when you and your friends touched it…"

Mr. Drippy caught on. "So th' rotted thing must've been cursed! That rotter Tobias must've put a hex on it so whatever dark-hearted scoundrel found it would pick up where he left off!" he gasped.

"Someone must have found out the wand was here, and probably kidnapped my friends to find it!" The teen deduced.

"But… it was banished thousands of years ago- no one even knows the story. Cassiopeia didn't even hear about it until just a few days ago! Swaine, Marcassin and I were the only ones who learned about it."

"And my friends and I just arrived here last night and didn't tell anyone about the wand. How would they even know if was here?" The teen added.

"Well, don't ask me, I en't a flippin' almanac! But, don't worry, boys- Detective Drippy is on th' case wit' ya! An' I sense there's dark magic afoot…" Mr. Drippy said, turning to Oliver. "Best if we get ouer new tourist here geared up, rally up th' ol' gang, an' stop mayhem from comin' once more, Ollie-Boy!"

"Right- we'll get your friends back before you know it… um…" Oliver paused. "What was your name?"

"It was on his wallet, mun, how could you forget?! His name's… Brick! …no wait… Ben! …hold on, it's on th' tip o' my tongue- started wit' a 'B'… or was it 'D'?"

"My name's Biff," The teen stated, shaking Oliver's hand.

"Oliver. C'mon, Biff, let's get to town and get you set up- then we'll get looking for your friends!" Oliver replied.

Biff unleashed a heavy sigh, then nodded. "I just hope they can hold out…"


	6. Voices in the Dark

It had been hours since she was taken, and yet Kim had found out nothing about what took her nor why. In fact, she felt as if she found out less than what she already learned about this world!

The creature that took her kept to the shadows, so she could not see it; though it did not seem to do anything as she tried to find a way out of the dark caverns it had dragged her into, as if it found enjoyment in seeing her wander around, afraid and confused; she seemed to hear chuckling every time she found herself at a dead end.

The monster had ambushed her in the night. At the sight of it she fainted- having the likeness of a panther but with large, yellow, pupil-less eyes; its fur slick black and smelly; down its back were a plume of feathers like that of a falcon; its mouth was a beak with fangs; its front legs like that of a chimp's, while its back-legs resembled goat-legs, but with three-toed hooves.

By the time she gained consciousness, the creature was dropping her on the cavern floor, before disappearing in the darkness.

She began searching for a way out once she was sure the monster was gone… but it seemed to be following her. She could feel its presence, her heart racing, wondering how long it would play its game before it decided to kill her…

 _No, don't think about that- keep looking for a way out!_ She thought. By this point, her eyes were adjusting to the darkness, so she could slightly make out the path ahead of her, managing to walk upright as she had been crawling around the whole time.

She had to duck her head when the ceiling fell low; crawl on her stomach when it was too low to walk; press against a wall when the path was too narrow… Thank goodness most of the gang's travels involved a lot of experience in mountain-climbing!

Her foot hit something just then… and she looked down, seeing what appeared to be a pile of rotting bananas- however, it reeked of a rotting carcass, and she noticed that the pile had a head… and a chunk of it had been ripped off, revealing organs spilling out. "OH-!" she stifled her mouth, not only to silence her scream but also keep herself from gagging at the dead, fruit-like creature before her.

" _gi, gi, gi, gi…!"_ came the sinister chuckling of the creature that took her, apparently watching from a higher ledge.

She ignored it, going around the carcass and deciding it was time to start running…

Or, perhaps not.

In the dark she couldn't make out the ledge before her, and fell into a deep precipice; the side slanted a few feet down, causing her to hit rubble and roll before coming to a stop.

Kim winced; the pain was agonizing, and she was sure the side of her face was bleeding. She began to sob, but not from the pain- from the fear. "Biff… Pugs… Fangface…" she whimpered, lying there, feeling paralyzed. "W-where are you…?"

"Kim!" came a frantic shout. "Kim, is that you?! Oh, thank God…!"

Kim gasped, lifting her head; any thought of immobility left her thoughts, as she scrambled to her knees. "P-Puggsy…?! Where are you?!"

"Down here! Some monster threw me down in this cave- I can't get out!"

"I-I'm coming!" struggling to stand, she leaned against the wall, feeling her way through the darkness. "Just keep talking!"

"Hurry… I-I'm bleeding all over the place! This thing… it… it… agh!"

Kim staggered over to where the voice was coming from- she kept hearing him grunting in pain and agony, followed by growls. "P-Puggsy, hang on! I'm coming! I'm-"

"AAARRGHHHHhhhh… uggghhhh…. *cough*… *choke*"

She froze, hearing such sounds, covering her mouth as she reached the cave. "P… Pugs…?" she whispered, looking in…

Seeing yellow eyes staring at her. "Hiya, Kimmy," the monster said in Puggsy's voice.

"AUGH!" Kim screamed, her legs going weak as she fell forth. The monster jumped back, having her hit the ground, laughing in her friend's voice- that is, if Puggsy had an evil laugh- as it climbed the walls, hanging upside-down from a stalactite. She held her chest, looking around the cave. There was no sign of her friend. It was just a sick trick. She looked up at the creature with hatred. "You… you bastard!"

"What's the matter, Kim? Can't you take a joke?" the creature mocked in Puggsy's voice, before laughing with its own chuckle.

Kim left the cave, looking around for any way out.

"Kim! Where are ya?! *grr*" came Fangface's voice, and Kim turned with hope… only to see the creature standing on a ledge, grinning a sharp grin.

She pressed on, walking down a tunnel, squeezing through a narrow passage, sliding down a rugged slope. She just wanted to put some distance between her and that creature. She came across an underground pond, perhaps formed from all the condensation in the damp cave, seeing droplets of water hit the surface of it.

"Kim, oh thank God I found you! You wouldn't believe what I've been through!" came Biff's voice.

She turned-

…seeing the wretched creature standing there, smirking.

She clenched her fists. "Just leave me alone!" she screamed at it, storming off- as best she could on sore legs. She ended up falling to her knees, having grown exhausted.

"What's wrong, Kim? *grr* Getting tired?" the creature asked in Fangface's voice, before switching to Puggsy's. "Maybe you should lie down and sleep…" it then switched to Biff's. "We could both cuddle up together… maybe I can help you forget all about your worries…"

Kim covered her ears, scrambling back to her feet and running. "Go away! Leave me alone! I don't know what you want, but I don't have it!"

"Oh, but you do have it!" the creature called in Biff's voice… before it shifted its tone to a demonic one. " _It's your body!"_

"Oh!" Kim winced, running as fast as she could while hearing the creature cackle at her fear and disgust.

She hit a dead end, slamming into the wall. The creature seemed to find it funny. She leaned against the wall, sinking to her knees and sobbing.

"Aw, look, little Kimmy is starting to cry~!" came Puggsy's voice in a taunt.

"What could make such a pretty girl break down? *grr*" came Fangface's voice in mockery.

"She probably can't take it. You just don't know how to save yourself, do you?" came Biff's voice of teasing.

Kim covered her ears, letting the tears fall as the creature kept calling out slander in her friends' voices, chuckling at her despair between mimics.

" _squalk…"_

The next sound came out quiet- she nearly missed it due to the creature's mimicking. She opened her eyes, seeing what appeared to be an eagle-like bird with dark-blue feathers, almost like the ones she had seen in the field when she and the others first arrived. However, this one seemed to be… well, a tad frightened.

She watched as it carefully ducked back inside a small tunnel- one she hadn't noticed. It was small, but perhaps she could squeeze through it. Though, would it be an exit, or lead her further into captivity.

The bird poked his head out, giving a quiet squawk and looking into the tunnel, as if motioning her to follow. Kim looked back up at the mimicking creature- right now it was using Puggsy and Fangface's voices to describe how she would die, rolling around laughing as it did.

Yep, she was taking her chances with the tunnel.

Quietly as possible, she crawled over to the tunnel, squeezing inside and following the bird through. She didn't know how the bird got inside the caves in the first place- did it have a nest on the other side of the tunnel that was built on a cliff-edge, or was it just another victim of the creature's cruelty? She noticed it moved slow, limping as if one of its talons had been wounded, so it was easy to guess it had been captured as well. The creature probably planned on harming the poor thing and letting it linger in pain while it messed with Kim, then perhaps would kill the little bird in front of her…

Something gripped her leg just then, and she looked back, screaming as the creature tried to pull her out! "Where ya going, Kim?! We're not done talking to you!" the creature said, using all her friend's voices at once.

She tried to pull free, but the monster proved too strong. As if to prove its strength, it twisted her ankle, making her cry out in pain!

"BWARRRK!" the bird screeched, and suddenly there was bright flash of light. Kim had to cover her eyes, as the light shot past her.

There came a screech from the creature, and it let go of her leg. She looked, seeing that it was now rubbing its eyes, as if the light caused it a great deal of pain. The bird squawked at her, as if to say 'Don't just sit there, hurry up!' as it continued down the tunnel. Kim followed, noticing that the tunnel was too narrow for the creature to get through.

It opened up in a large cavern. Light could be seen coming through a large gap in the wall, high up. The bird hobbled over to the wall, flapping its wings trying to get up to the light, only to swerve down due to the injuries it had. In the dim lighting, Kim could see it not only had a wounded leg, but also a torn wing and missing feathers on its scarred back. Clearly, this bird had been put through more pain than she had been.

Kim looked at the bird, then up the wall at the light. "You helped me out… let me help you," she said to it, though was careful in her approach, holding her hand out carefully.

More often than not, wounded animals were ferocious when approached, so she was a bit surprised when the bird carefully climbed onto her arm with its talons, perching on her shoulder. It was a bit large, the weight of it harsh on her shoulders, but she knew she had to tough it out in order to get them both out of the cave. She looked up at the wall, grabbing onto an outcrop, beginning to climb.

It was a struggle with her aching body, and the weight of a large bird on her shoulder, but she ignored the pain and focused on the light. She slipped a couple times, and in a panic the bird flapped its wings until she steadied herself, shushing it softly before continuing. She was almost there, getting close…

There came a screech, as the monster came bounding out of a tunnel, lunging towards them. Kim screamed, losing her grip and slipping, hanging on by one hand. The bird fumbled off her shoulders, and she barely caught it by one of its wings, carefully but frantically hauling it up and cradling it in one arm. She watched in horror as the monster leaped at them-

With a "Screech!" of its own, the bird shot something out at the creature. It appeared to be some sort of poison, as it burned the monster's eyes. The bird then climbed back on Kim's shoulders, squawking at her and urging her to keep climbing. Kim didn't hesitate.

At long last, she managed to grab the ledge where the light was shining, reaching up and allowing the bird to get out first, while she climbed through. The monster leaped up at her-

The moment it reached the light, it screeched in agony, dropping down to the cavern floor.

Kim looked back, watching as the monster retreated into the darkness, but not before giving her a dark glare. "We'll meet again…" it said in all the voices of her friends, before retreating back into its dark lair.

Kim turned, quickly going through the opening. She shielded her eyes from the sunlight- having been in the dark for so long, it took a few minutes for her to focus in bright light. Once she was able to see clearly, she noticed she was on a small ledge, just a few feet above a sandy hill; the landscape was a large desert, golden sand stretching as far as a mountainside to the west, and a green field overlooking the ocean to the east. South ahead, there was a city near an oasis.

She began to climb over the edge- it wasn't too far down, and the sand would probably cushion her fall. However, she hesitated, looking back at the cave.

One thing she hadn't considered yet was whether or not her friends were in there, somewhere. If so, what if they were unconscious, or wounded, or at the mercy of that creature? She didn't know how far deep those caves went… her friends could probably be in deeper cavers, too far below to have heard her cries; that monster was probably using her voice to torment them now…

There came a "Chirp!" and she looked over at the wounded bird next to her, giving her a curious look.

"I… I think my friends might still be in there," Kim confessed, sniffling. "I… I don't know, but… if they are…"

The bird gave her a gentle peck on the shoulder, chirping and looking towards the city, as if saying 'Get help first,'

Kim sighed. She hated the thought of leaving her friends at the mercy of some creature…

She looked at herself. Her legs, arms, and face were scratched up from her fall, she was covered in dirt and sweat, and she knew she wouldn't last a single minute down in that cave if she went back. No, if she wanted to help her friends, she had to find someone who could help her fend off that creature, first.

She took a deep breath, and slid over the edge of the cliff, the bird following. They landed on the sandy hill with a muffled *thud* before rolling down, the sand stinging her bleeding wounds. Kim sobbed, standing up and picking up the bird, carrying it as they crossed the desert towards the city…

But their trek was cut short, as a pair of creatures blocked their path. One looked like the carcass Kim had seen- a large bunch of green bananas grouped together in the form of a body-builder; the other looked like a voodoo-doll with a head in the shape of a bud, the top of it having flower-petals. Both creatures weren't as friendly as the bird she had found, as they began to attack.

The bunch-of-bananas threw a punch, which nearly missed her, while the flower-doll… and Kim couldn't believe this… shot a ball of fire at her! "Augh!" she cried out, falling back and raising her arms in defense…

Once again the bird came to her aid, this time sending forth a blast of air that knocked the creatures back. It wasn't enough, however, as the two creatures seemed more determined than ever, ganging up on the bird with their own attacks.

Kim looked around, seeing a heavy stick lying in the sand. Picking it up, she ran over to the banana-creature and started hitting it as hard as she could. "Go away!" she cried out, smacking it a few times.

It swayed a bit in a daze, but shook its head, turning to her and swinging its fist, knocking her back! The doll was shooting fire at the bird, which seemed to be growing weak. Kim then held up the stick and jabbed the banana-creature in its stomach, knocking it back and staggering over to the doll, giving it a good kick and sending it sprawling. The two creatures got back on their feet, running forth…

The bird then flew forth, catching what appeared to be a golden light shining down. Suddenly, it began to shake with energy, before spreading out its wings with such force, it caused a whirlwind to appear, knocking its foes clear off their feet! The doll fell to the ground, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Kim blinked, wondering if she were imagining all this. She saw the banana-creature running forth towards the bird, who sat on the ground, its wounds taking their toll on it. Acting fast, she picked up a large rock on the ground and heaved it at the attacking creature, nailing it in the head. It fell back in a daze, before also disappearing in smoke.

The teen rubbed her arm. The fight caused her already-sore body to scream in agony, and worst yet the bird before her seemed to have fallen on the ground- unconscious, but still kicking. She scooped it up in her arms, continuing towards the city.

The hot desert sun was showing her no mercy either; she ended up tearing off the sleeves of her sweater to cool down, using the torn fabric to dress the wounds on the bird's leg and wing. She pressed on, knowing that if she didn't get out of the sun soon, she'd end up seeing mirages- and with the bizarre creatures she had encountered, she would have a hard time figuring out what was real and what was a trick on the eyes.

She stumbled forth, reaching a shady spot by the oasis- thankful that she hadn't been too far away. But she couldn't consider herself lucky yet. Her friends were still missing, perhaps at some monster's mercy. She was lost in an unknown world, and the only companion she found was severely wounded.

She collapsed by the water. The last thing she heard was the sound of a harp, as if she were hearing the hymns of angels…


	7. A Bit of a Reprieve

Biff walked out of the changing room of the small shop- which was called the 'Hootique'- looking at himself in a mirror. While buying supplies, Mr. Drippy had convinced him it would be best if he got a change of clothes so he could 'blend in and not attract any unwanted attention' (much less ruin the fairy's 'street cred', as Drippy put it). Entering the shop, he picked out a dark-red shirt and silver tunic and some dark-blue pants, along with some brown hiking boots.

"There, how do I look now?" Biff asked the fairy.

"Like a native- tidy, mun! Youe'll fit in perfectly, now!" Mr. Drippy replied.

"The hootenanny says it'll cost 40 guilders," Oliver said, reaching into his bag to pay.

"I'll get it, Oliver, don't trouble yourself," Biff stated politely, and handed the small, owl-like woman sitting at the counter the 40 remaining guilders the guard at lent him- he had planned on using it to buy everyone some food, but considering they were missing…

He cleared his throat. No time to think about the negatives. "Let's get going. Oliver, you said you read about that wand… any idea where my friends could have wound up? Did Tobias have a lair or anything?"

"He was banished somewhere, thousands of years ago," Oliver replied. "The island was said to be uncharted and uninhabitable…"

Biff sighed, rubbing his face. "There has to be an easy solution…"

"Oi, there is, ya buggers!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed, then tuned to Oliver. "Don't ye have a spell that can help us find everyone? Ya know, that one Queen Pea showed ya after we started hanging round wit' her!"

Oliver opened his Wizard's Companion. "Yeah- but it's going to take a lot of magicka. We'll only have one shot at it," he replied, turning to Biff. "Which friend should we look for, first?"

"Kim- she was the first who went missing." Biff replied. "If there's a chance she's in the lair of whoever's after that wand, we could probably get there before that three-headed creature does!"

"Proper thinkin', mun! Alright, Ollie-boy, cast th' spell!"

Oliver cast the rune for the spell, 'Foresee'. A ball of light shined from his wand, before expanding, showing a swirling image of colors. "Let us know where to find Biff's friend, Kim," the wizard stated- knowing he had to be specific, as Cassiopeia stated that the spell was tricky sometimes and would show them any person with a similar name.

The colors swirled, until they showed a large city in the middle of a desert. "What is that place?" Biff asked.

"That's Al-Mamoon!" Oliver replied, and seconds later the image vanished. He sighed, turning to Biff. "I'm sorry- there could be several people named 'Biff' and 'Kim' around there…"

"Don't get negative too quick, mun!" Mr. Drippy assured. "Names like 'Biff' an' 'Kim' en't used as often as they are in youer world! Why, around here, they'd be uncommon names compared to the ones we come up with here!"

"I'd still like to look, Oliver. If there's a chance she's there- if any of them are there…" Biff pleaded.

Oliver nodded. "Alright… I think I have just enough magicka left for 'Fast Travel', so we can get there quick!" he said, standing close to the teen. "Hang on!"

The young wizard cast the spell, and Biff found himself being engulfed in a blue light. In a flash, he suddenly found himself standing before the gates of the city he saw in the image. "Wow… you sure know some magic, Oliver!" he had to compliment.

"Thanks. I learned a lot of spells since I first came here," Oliver replied with a smile.

"Share youer story later, Ollie-Boy, we've got friend-finding to do!" Mr. Drippy stated.

Nodding, Biff walked with Oliver into the city. Unlike Ding Dong Dell, Al-Mamoon was populated by humans, and seemed to have some sort of Arabic ethnicity to it, with all the street merchants, the structure of the stands and buildings, and some of the attire the locals wore. If he and his friends weren't in danger, this would be a nice world to tour around in.

He was so caught up in the sights that he didn't notice Oliver was speaking to him, only catching part of his phrase, "…see if she knows where to find her,"

"Huh?" Biff asked, snapping himself back to reality.

"I said we should meet up with my friend, Esther, and see if she knows where to find Kim," Oliver repeated, looking around the city. "She lives around here- if Kim turned up, she'd be the first to notice,"

"Aye, can't wait to see th' look on Esthy-girl's face when we tell her we've got visitors from another world- and time!" Mr. Drippy commented.

"Where does she live?" Biff asked Oliver.

"I'm… not sure. We travel so much together that I've never really been to her home," Oliver replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "But, her father, Rashaad, still owns the babana-stand! He might be able to help too!"

"Let's leg it then!" Mr. Drippy replied, hopping ahead.

Biff followed them down the street, while scratching his head. "Babana…?" he repeated to himself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

On another part of the world, the sun was high in the sky, nearing its setting motion over the high mountains. Down one mountain path there was a beach, with ocean currents lapping at the sand as the sunlight flickered in the waves…

The beautiful sight was ignored by Fangs as he ran up the mountain path, screaming as he was pursued by his kidnapper. "HEEEEELLLLLLLLLLPPPPPP!" he yelled, running as fast as he could. He gasped, stopping suddenly as his foe appeared before him- a creature with blue skin, long black hair, bright green eyes, having lizard limbs and the tail of a cheetah, and ears like a horse. Its face looked like that of a woman's, but with the snout of a fox. She also wore a cloak made from feathers.

He turned around, running back the other way… only to see the creature before him again! With a yelp, he turned and ran back up the path. The creature chuckled, disappearing in a flash and reappearing right before him! She had been doing this for hours- yet the coward never seemed to run short of breath or energy, just continued to run up and down the hill, depending where she would appear. Despite the fun of seeing him terrified as if he were just now seeing her for the first time, every time, the game was beginning to feel dull by now.

Deciding to see just how stupid her victim was, she disappeared and reappeared on top of a rock. Just as she thought, the weakling kept running back-and-forth up the path, having gotten used to changing his direction at a certain distance.

After a minute or so, he began to slow down, catching his breath, noticing that she wasn't appearing in front of him. "Where'd… *puff puff* she go… *huff* this time…? *wheeze*" he asked himself, taking in gulps of air.

The creature chuckled, being right above him on the rock. She reached over, tapping him on his head. "Boo," she stated.

"YIKES!" Fangs stumbled back. Unfortunately, the path was so narrow that he ended up going over the edge! "Yeeeeooooooooowwww!" he looked down, seeing that within moments he would be hitting the ground, breaking every bone in his body.

A pair of scaly hands grabbed him just then, and in a blink he found himself closer to the ground, crashing but not breaking anything. The creature sat upon him. "Don't think I'd let you get away THAT easily," she scoffed.

"Y-Y-You t-t-t-talk!?"

"Of course. Unlike most creatures, I happen to be intelligent enough to speak to humans without the use of spells… But, I'm not here to chat…" she gripped him by the shirt-collar. "Where is Serpens?"

"W-W-What?"

"Serpens! Tell me where it is!"

Fangs gulped and- believing she was referring to the serpent constellation- pointed up at the early afternoon sky. "It's h-h-hard to pinpoint right now… the stars aren't even out yet!"

"Do you believe this to be a game?!" The creature then teleported them both onto the top of the cliff, holding Fangs over the edge. "Tell me where the wand is, or I promise you, your fall will not be cut short this time!"

"I-I-I don't know! How could I know where it is, if I don't even know where _I'm_ at right now?!"

The creature gave him a glare. "Hmm, you have a point… I suppose there's no point in keeping you alive then,"

"No! Wait! Don't drop me…" he then noticed something swooping down, landing on a rock and watching them. It appeared to be a cat with wings… with one half of its fur white, and the other half a dark purple color; in the middle of its forehead was a crescent. His eyes then began to swirl just then, and he began to spin…

…making the creature spin with him! She lost her grip and ended up colliding in to the rock the winged cat was on, making the flying feline hiss.

"Arrroooooooo!" Fangface howled after his transformation. "*grr* Where's Pugs? Where is the little loudmo- OOF!"

The werewolf was tackled by the monster, who gripped him by the throat. "You're going to regret that!" she snarled.

"Whoa! Hey! What did I do?!"

The creature threw the werewolf over the cliff. Flaying in the air, he tried to slow down his fall, moving closer to the side of the cliffs and digging his claws into the rocky wall, 'sliding' down until he reached the bottom… then began to blow on his now-smoking claws.

"Ooh, ooh, that's one way NOT to file your nails!"

The creature appeared before him, whipping her tail and striking him in the chest, before appearing behind him and slicing at his back with her claws. The werewolf snarled, turning around and slashing at her, but she teleported out of his way, so he only ended up cutting down a tree. She appeared behind him, lunging-

Fangface heard her coming this time, and leaped into the air, making her hit the ground. He then grabbed her by the tail and swung her around, throwing her into the side of the mountain. However, she teleported herself so that she ended up flying into him, knocking him to the ground on his back; but the werewolf kicked her off, sending her into some bushes.

"That'll teach you to mess with a werew-WHOA!"

He was pounced on from above, as the winged-cat from before decided to participate in the fight! It clawed at him, before the werewolf threw it off-

…conveniently into the creature, as she came out of the bush. The she-creature seethed, knocked the winged cat out of the way, then leaped high in the air, spinning faster and faster. Fangface backed away, watching. "Ooh, ooh, this won't end good!" he gasped, running towards the bushes for cover.

" _Invisible Spear!"_ the she-creature shouted, then dive-bombed at him at a great speed, having her claws sticking out as she prepared to impale him-

*CRASH!*

…only to hit the earth. She sat up, rubbing her head, wondering how the werewolf could have avoided such a strike.

Off to the side, the winged cat had the werewolf pinned down; the flying feline must have tackled him seconds before she made her strike! However, the werewolf couldn't consider himself saved, as the cat was clawing at his face. "Ow! Ow! Bad kitty! Ouch! Stop that!" Fangface threw the animal off him. It lunged at him, but he slammed his fist on its head, knocking it in a daze. "Go find someone else to be your scratching post! *grr* …This is why I'm more of a dog person," The winged cat only sat there, suddenly having a loopy expression.

"You wretched beast! I will end you!" the creature shouted, getting Fangface's attention.

"Whoops, forgot about this one…" Fangface backed away as the creature lunged-

Suddenly, there was a blast of light, and the creature shrieked in pain. Behind her stood a woman with dark skin, curly hair held back by a flower-headband, wearing a lovely dress and gloves. "Begone, vile demon! I shall not have you spreading your terror near my people!" the woman shouted, summoning another ball of light and launching it at the creature.

The she-creature snarled, then glared at the werewolf. "Next time… I won't waste time killing you!" she snarled, before disappearing.

Fangface scoffed, crossing his arms. "Sheesh, what was her problem? *grr*" he sneered.

The woman approached him. "Are you a victim of that creature's attack, or should I consider you an enemy as well?" she asked, beginning to conjure another spell…

"Whoa! Easy! *grr* I come in peace!" Fangface scratched his head, looking around. "Actually… where am I? And where did my friends go? *grr*"

The woman stopped conjuring, convinced for the moment that the werewolf was not a threat. "There are more creatures like you?"

"Well, no, they're not werewolves… though that would be pretty neat, *grr* I don't know what happened, but one of them went missing, we were looking for her… and now it looks like I'm missing now, too!" he then clenched his fists. "I bet whoever that creature was kidnapped me! *grr*"

"You do not recall whether or not it brought you here?"

"Not really… I just know I need to find my friends! *grr* If we're all going missing, then that means they all might be in trouble! *grr* Trouble, trouble!"

"Calm yourself. …Since you do not appear as a threat, I shall let you take refuge in my village." She examined the werewolf, noticing a couple wounds he got from the fight. "You have some injuries that need to be dealt with, after all."

Fangface scoffed. "Yeah, well, most of them came from that cat!" he thumbed over at the winged cat, who was now sitting next to him.

"You mean that Dualynx? …Hmm, well, it appears you won't be suffering any more scratches. It appears he has taken a liking to you,"

"Huh?! Whoa, cat, take it easy! …At least buy me dinner first!"

The woman chuckled. "What it means is, he is so impressed by your fighting skills that he wishes to be your familiar."

Fangface arched an eyebrow. "Familiar?"

"Yes, a companion one has that helps in battle. All you have to do is give him a name, and he will become yours,"

Fangface scratched his head, turning to the winged cat. "Um, okay… I didn't know I'd be getting a pet… um… gosh, I don't know what to name him!"

The woman patted him on the shoulder. "Take your time. The Dualynx will keep by your side until you decide on one. …Speaking of names, what is yours?"

"*grr* I'm Fangface! Who are you?"

"I am the Great Sage, Queen Khulan,"

Fangface gasped, then hit the ground, bowing. "Ooh, ooh, your majesty! *grr* It is my humble pleasure to be graced by your presence! *grr* …Ooh, and thanks for the save earlier, too! *grr*"

Khulan chuckled. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Fangface. …Now, come, let us head to Perdida. I'd like to hear more of how you came here,"

With that, they walked up the path, as the werewolf told the Great Sage about how he and his friends came from another world.


	8. Two Down, One To Go

At first, all she could see was a bright light, and hearing harp music, easily assuming she had died.

Once her vision focused, she noticed the light was shining through some tree-tops. She was near the oasis near the city… and the bird she had found was sitting beside her, chirping happily when it saw she was awake.

Kim sat up, rubbing her head… suddenly noticing that her body no longer ached, her wounds were gone, and her feathery companion was now hovering in the air as if it had never been wounded at all! The only proof that she had been harmed at all was the fact that her clothes were still torn. _What happened?_ She wondered. _A minute ago, I thought I was about to lose it… and suddenly I'm healed!_

"Are you alright? What happened to you out there?"

Kim gave a slight jolt, hearing the voice, and noticed a girl with blonde hair, bright blue eyes, wearing a purple belly-shirt, matching skirt and pink pants sitting nearby on a rock. In her hands she held a harp, no doubt being the one playing the beautiful music that the teen had heard. "I… I think I'm alright… I just barely escaped from this horrible monster in some caves…" she replied, noticing her voice crack as her throat had run dry.

The girl reached into a small pack, handing her a bottle of water. "Here, take a drink, and then tell me everything,"

Kim nodded, sipping the water. She then told the girl about how she was kidnapped the night before, spent hours trying to find a way out, came across the bird who lead her to a way out, all the while listening as the creature mimicked her friends' voices just to torment her. "…I'm worried that my friends might be in there too," she finished, wincing. "I wanted to go back in and look… but I knew it would be suicide in the state I was in,"

"Don't worry, my father and I can help you. And now that your familiar is healed, he'll be a great use in fending that monster off!"

"Familiar?"

"Your Minor Byrde there. Considering you've helped each other out, he's adopted you as a companion. All he needs is a name!" She then gave a short gasp. "Oh, how rude of me- I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Esther, what's yours?"

"Kim. As for what to name my 'familiar'… well, right now I want to focus on saving my friends first."

Esther nodded. "Right. Come into the city- we can buy you a fresh pair of clothes. You'd sure to catch a chill in such a short skirt! You'd make it a lot farther with the right travelling attire,"

They entered the city. True to her word, Esther took her into a shop, paying for an outfit the girl could change into. It was a violet-purple dress with long sleeves and a black waist-belt, with a pair of violet-red leggings, purple boots, and- just for style's sake- a matching headband with a Native American design on it. Once changed, Esther led Kim around the streets, while pointing out the hotel, various shops, and the- milk fountains…?

They stopped at a stand, which seemed to be closed. "This is my father's babana-stand. He's still looking for someone to buy it," Esther said, looking around. "He must have gone to meet with the Cowlipha about something, otherwise this is where he normally is." She looked at Kim. "Let's head to the palace- Queen Lowlah might be able to help too,"

"You must be pretty close to someone who is royal," Kim noted.

Esther giggled. "Well, when you've helped mend her heart, broken a curse cast upon her, and worked alongside her in a time of peril, you'd be good friends with her too!"

Kim blinked. "Whoa, didn't expect you guys to go that far back…"

Esther shrugged. "It actually happened several weeks ago… But, it's a story for another time. Let's find my father and-"

"Esther!" came a call, and the two girls turned around, seeing a boy carrying a book and wand running towards them… along with a bizarre little creature with a lantern on its nose. They were coming from inside the palace. "There you are! We were wondering where you were!"

"Aye, lass, where'd ye take off to?" the lantern-faced creature asked.

"Oliver, Drippy! Oh, you have great timing!" Esther said, hugging the boy before pulling him over. "I was out in the desert training with my familiars, when I ran into this girl! Her name is Kim, and she needs up rescuing her friends!"

"Did you say… Kim?" Oliver questioned, looking up at the teenage girl. "Excuse me, but, is one of your friends named-"

"Biff!" Kim gasped, looking over Oliver's shoulder, and seeing her friend walking out of the palace with another man, wearing a white robe with golden collar and carrying a staff. She ran over to him without delay.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After being introduced to the Great Sage Rashaad, Biff was taken to see the Cowlipha, Queen Lowlah, to inform her of his story. "If it is true that an evil force is at work, all the kingdoms have a right to know, so they may be prepared to defend our world," Rashaad had reasoned, and Biff could not argue with that logic. Plus, the more who came to help, the greater chance there would be that his friends would be saved.

Though… he wasn't prepared to meet the Cowlipha- that is, he didn't expect to be in the presence of an enormous, cow-like woman. "Oh, my! Who do we have here? Oliver, who is your hansom new friend?" Queen Lowlah asked.

"This is Biff. He comes from another world, and he needs our help," Oliver had stated, and nodded at Biff.

The teen leader told his story to the Cowlipha. "…but we don't really know who's behind all this," he finished.

"Hmm, we are appalled to hear dark magic is threatening the world once more… But, do not worry, young man. We shall write to our fellow kingdoms, and make sure that wand is found and demolished, and see to it you and your friends will be returned safely to your realm!" she then looked over at one of her servants. "Abull! See to it that a bounty is placed on the head of this three-headed monster, who is kidnapping people!"

"Yes, your moojesty!" Abull replied with a bow, before exiting the room.

Afterwards, the group decided to start asking around for any whereabouts of Kim. "This creature you spoke of does not sound like one I have heard about before," Rashaad said to Biff, rubbing his beard. "Perhaps Master Solomon would know,"

"Who's Ma-" Biff began to ask…

Until suddenly he was getting ambushed in a hug by Kim. "Oh, thank God you're alright!" she exclaimed upon hugging him.

"K-Kim? Kim!" Biff hugged her back tightly. They pulled away, looking at each other- apparently, he wasn't the only one who got a new outfit. "What happened to you? Are you alright?"

"It was horrible… I thought I heard you calling me outside last night, but it was a trick caused by this horrible creature…" Kim winced as she told her friend about how the monster mimicked everyone's voices, watched her stumble in the darkness and cackling at her injuries, getting a kick out of her misery until she managed to get out, collapsing and perhaps even dying if Esther hadn't found her. She was shedding tears by the time she finished, and hugged him again. "I'm so glad you're alright…"

"I'm glad you're okay, too." Biff looked over at the new girl, Esther. "Thank you for helping her,"

"I'm glad I did… now we just have to rescue your other friends," Esther replied, looking at Kim. "You said you believe they might be in the caves?"

Biff shook his head. "I was with them just this morning. Fangs ended up disappearing, and then minutes later some monster took off with Puggsy, flying out to sea!"

"So they were all taken by different monsters… Whatever force is at work here must find you and your friends to be a threat," Rashaad theorized.

"We believe it might be after the wand that brought them all here- Biff said the last creature didn't appear until Puggsy took the wand out. The others must have kidnapped Kim and Fangs in case one of them had it, too!" Oliver added.

"But if they were taken by different monsters… chances are they might be in different places, too." Biff said, solemnly. He looked at Oliver. "Can you cast that spell you used before and find them?"

"I don't have any magicka left…" Oliver sighed.

"I do!" Esther exclaimed. "I've mastered a few spells since Father started training me as a sage, I can do it!"

"O-Okay! But, it's pretty tricky, you have to be specific. You can't just say a name, in case someone else has that name and it shows us the wrong person." Oliver handed Esther his wand, and she nodded in understanding.

"Our friends' names are Fangs… or, 'Fangface' just in case… and Puggsy." Kim stated.

Esther cast the spell, having the swirling image appear once more. "…Did you say 'Fangface'?" she questioned, and the image started to glow. "Oops! Oh no! I goofed the spell!"

Biff gasped, smiling. "No you didn't- look, there he is!" he exclaimed, seeing the werewolf in the image, walking towards a village with a woman.

"Who is that with him?" Kim inquired.

"More likely- WHAT th' flip IS he?!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed. "Looks like a wolf with a buck-tooth, he does!"

Kim crossed her arms, cocking an eyebrow. "Don't be talking about our friend like that- especially since it's hard to tell what YOU are!"she huffed.

"I'm a fairy, lass! Oi, Lord give me strength if I have to go through this th' whole time youe're here…!"

"That is the Great Sage, Queen Khulan. It appears your friend is in good hands," Rashaad stated.

"Let's go to Perdida and meet up with them! Maybe Fangface knows who's behind this!" Esther exclaimed.

"And with Fangface on our team, we'll have a better chance in fending off any of those monsters we've dealt with," Kim added, and a bird landed on her shoulder, giving an excited chirp.

"Whoa! …When did you get a pet?" Biff chuckled as they exited the city.

"Hee hee, this is the Minor Byrde that helped your friend out of those caves!" Esther replied.

"Good thing, too. Can't get far without a familiar in this world, mun." Drippy added, hopping on Biff's shoulder. "We can find one for ye, too- once we find youer friends,"

"I wish you luck on your search. I will go to the Temple of Trials, and see if Solomon knows anything about these creatures," Rashaad stated, walking off.

"So, how do we get to Perdida?" Biff asked.

"We can fly on Tengri!" Esther suggested.

"Tengri? Who's Tengri?"Kim asked.

Oliver took out a strange-looking horn, smiling. "Wait 'til you see this," he stated, before blowing into the horn.

" _Kyaaaahhh!"_ came an eagle-like screech, and suddenly a giant creature swooped down. Biff gasped, standing in front of Kim, believing another monster was attacking… but what landed before them was a large, purple dragon with sea-green eyes- and wearing a giant dog-collar.

"Biff, Kim, this is our dragon, Tengri. He flies us places whenever we don't use Fast-Travel," Oliver walked over to the dragon, stroking his snout. "Say hello, Tengri,"

Tengri loomed over Biff and Kim, sniffing at them. "Um, nice to meet you, Tengri," Kim said, giving the dragon a pat on the muzzle. In response the dragon let out a gentle growl, nuzzling against her hand. "Ha ha, he is pretty cute."

"Cutest dragon you'll ever meet!" Esther put in, smiling.

Oliver climbed onto Tengri's back. "C'mon, he's really fun to ride! He'll get us to Perdida in no time!"

Biff and Kim looked at each other, the leader shrugging. "Let's give it a shot," he said, and they climbed on.

Tengri, once sure all his passengers were properly seated, took to the skies. Kim let out an excited cry, hanging on to Biff as they flew above the clouds. They looked below, seeing all the different landscapes below, including islands out at sea. They were currently flying towards a large island miles away, the sun already beginning to set as they made their way through the air.

Biff smiled, nearly forgetting that there was danger lurking about, and taking time to enjoy the thrill of flying on a dragon…

…though, remembered that Puggsy had a similar experience, and hoped that- like Fangface and Kim- he had gotten out safely as well.

His thoughts were put on hold when Oliver spoke above the wind. "There's Perdida!" he announced.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In Perdida, not knowing his friends would be arriving in a matter of minutes, Fangface was looking around the town. It seemed to have some sort of Mexican ethnicity, with people wearing sombreros and parkas. On the way in, he noticed a pen that was keeping llama-like creatures. "Ooh, ooh, this is some town!" The werewolf commented, looking around.

Khulan smiled. "It is a nice village to settle down in. After my kingdom fell, I took refuge here, and became the Sage of Perdida," she told him.

"Huh? What do you mean your kingdom fell?"

"My old kingdom, Xanadu, had been destroyed… It is a sad memory, one I am not yet ready to share. After starting a new life here, I have decided not to look back into the sorrows of the past, and only look toward the future of my new home." She turned to Fangface. "And, at the moment, I should help you find your friends. What are their names?"

Fangface counted off his fingers. "Biff, Kim, and Puggsy, *grr* Kim went missing last night, and I was helping Biff and Pugs look for her in this cat-filled town,"

"Purr?" the Dualynx, who had been walking at his side the entire time, looked at him curiously.

"Uh, different kind of cats- they wore clothes… and didn't have wings *grr*,"

"You mean Ding Dong Dell? Hmm, odd… the kingdom's guards always keep a sharp eye out," Khulan looked around at her own village. "Perhaps I should have my guards double their patrols, so no one suffers the same misfortune you and your friends have,"

"Yeah, yeah, double the patrol! *grr* Double the-"

"By all laws of science, what is this strange species before me?" came a shout, and suddenly a man wearing a rimmed had, glasses, large backpack, and carrying a notebook came running up to the werewolf, observing him closely. "Looks like a wolf, yet walks and speaks like a man… Perhaps humanoid like grimalkins?"

Fangface blinked, feeling a little weirded out- and that's saying something after being attacked by a flying feline! "*grr* Uh, can I help you?"

The man suddenly remembered his manners, clearing his throat. "My apologies. My name is Derwin- travelling zoologist. I have dedicated my life in cataloguing research on every creature known in this world… but I have never seen anything like you, before! Tell me, what race of creature are you? Judging by your paws, fur and fang, I nearly mistook you for a creature of the bestiae family, up until I noticed that you could speak human language."

"*grr* Of course I can speak human language! We werewolves happen to know quite a lot when it comes to speaking!" he paused, thoughtful. "…Except, when it comes to the savage ones who just snarl and growl instead of striking up conversation *grr* but I think they just do that just to be jerks,"

Derwin was writing all this down in his journal. "How interesting… What region does your species originate from? The Rolling Hills? Tombstone Trail? Perhaps you are a lost species only found in the area known as Nevermore?"

Fangface scratched his head. "Um… none of those places," he then remembered something one of the guards said, about how he was the only werewolf ever seen in this world. "I'm actually from another world. *grr* Just visiting here,"

"Another world? Hmm… a foreign creature adapting to a new environment… how intriguing,"

Fangface turned towards Khulan, who was stifling a chuckle. "You must pardon Derwin. He tends to become quite a fanatic in his line of work," she stated.

"Yeah, well, maybe he'd better ask first before deciding to pin someone as a subject-" he then paused, looking over and seeing a sun engraving on the doors of an inn, which he had not noticed yet.

Eyes swirling, Fangface spun around until he was once again Fangs. "Huh? W-Where am I? How did I get here?" he gasped.

"INCREDIBLE!" Derwin shouted, making the lanky teen cry out in alarm. "A creature that can take on human form! Sweet mother of science, what a discovery!" he stood closer to Fangs, holding up his notebook preparing to write in. "You MUST tell me how you transformed!"

"Um… who are you and what are you talking about?" Fangs replied, growing more confused (much less closer to a panic) by the second. "What is this place, and how did I get here?"

Khulan, who was surprised by the transformation as well, gave the teen a curious look. "You mean you do not recall anything about being a werewolf?" she questioned.

"Huh? Who are you? Why does everyone keep saying stuff about me changing?!"

"'Subject seems to have no memory of transformation. This could be a result of a dueling persona…'" Derwin was mumbling, writing in his notebook.

Khulan rested a hand on Fangs' shoulder. "Calm yourself, my friend. You are in the refuge of Perdida. I am Queen Khulan- I saved you from a vicious creature, upon hearing cries from around the mountain range." She told him.

"Creature… Ooh, I remember! This horrible monster kidnapped me and kept chasing me up and down this mountain! She was about to throw me off a cliff, when suddenly… well, I think I must have blacked out or something." He then began to tremble. "…this whole experience feels like one long nightmare… AUGH!" he jumped back when the Dualynx flew in front of him, and he hit the ground, covering his head. "Where'd that flying cat come from?!"

"Do not be afraid. This Dualynx has deemed you as a companion, and means you no harm," Khulan assured him.

Fangs kept his eyes covered. "I-I'm n-not much of a f-f-flying cat p-person…"

The sage kneeled beside him. "Perhaps you should rest. You seem to have quite your fill of shocks for today,"

"…I feel like I had enough shocks to last me a lifetime," Fangs stood up, pacing around. "First it's wands that send people places, then it's cat-people in a village, then its freaky disappearing monsters who throw people from cliffs… What's next, dragons?!"

" _Kyaaaaaah!"_ came a screech, and Fangs looked up, seeing a large, purple dragon flying down.

His face fell pale, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he proceeded to faint. "Spoke too soon." He squeaked before losing consciousness.

Derwin stood over him, examining the teen, then wrote in his notebook, "'Alternate identity is not so prone to adaptation…'" he whispered as he scribbled.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Biff and Kim didn't have to look too far for their friend, as he was lying passed out on the ground near the entrance of Perdida. "Fangs! Oh my gosh, what happened?" Kim gasped, as they ran over.

"I thought he was covered in fur?" Mr. Drippy questioned.

"You must be the friends this young man was talking about," the woman, Khulan, guessed once she noticed them. She looked over at Oliver and Esther. "I'm hoping you will have answers to the situation,"

"Some… We're actually trying to figure a few things out," Oliver answered.

As the wizard explained the situation, Biff and Kim knelt by Fangs, helping him sit up. A winged cat sat by the lanky teen, giving them a curious glance; Kim's Minor Byrde looked at it in equal curiosity. "Fangs… Fangs, wake up!" Biff coaxed, giving their friend a gentle shake and patting the side of his face.

"Uhhhh… I saw purple… then everything went black…" Fangs groaned, coming to slowly. "Word of advice, Biff: buy a pamphlet before visiting places…" he then did a double-take. "BIFF! KIM!" he then wrapped his arms around his two friends. "Ooh, ooh, am I glad to see you guys! Kim, what happened to you? Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine, Fangs- what happened to you?" Kim asked.

"Oh man, where to start?!" Fangs then started to ramble about waking up in a cat-town, disappearing with a monster, being chased and falling off a cliff, and suddenly waking up in Perdida. "…after I saw a dragon, I just couldn't take it anymore!"

"You mean Tengri?" Esther guessed, listening to the story as well. "You don't have anything to worry about with him- he's as gentle as a puppy!"

"…that was one big puppy," Fangs muttered. "Who are you?"

"Fangs, this is Oliver, Esther, and Mr. Drippy. They're helping us out," Kim told him, making the introduction. "Guys, this is Fangs,"

"I thought he was called Fangface!" Drippy questioned.

"He is- was- but he changed..."

"GAH! WHAT IS THAT THING!?" Fangs screamed, leaping into Biff's arms and pointing at Mr. Drippy. The winged cat hissed at Mr. Drippy, as if mimicking Fangs' reaction.

"…forgot about this gag… Cool youer head, mun! I ain't dangerous! I'm Drippy, Lord High Lord o' th' Fairies!" Drippy explained to him.

"You're one weird-looking fairy…" Fangs stammered.

Drippy huffed. "Youe're a weird-lookin' human, but ye don't hear me screamin' about it!"

Fangs turned to Biff and Kim. "P-Please tell me you know what's going on here, because I don't understand any of this at all!"

"We're still getting used to it ourselves," Biff replied, patting his friend on the back. "But don't worry- Oliver and his friends are going to help us,"

"With all the excitement you have experienced so far, I suggest you all rest at the inn." Khulan suggested. "Since you are all newcomers to Ni No Kuni, I shall pay for your stay and meals,"

"But… we can't rest now- we still have to find Puggsy!" Kim stated.

Fangs' jaw dropped. "PUGS is missing now?!" he shouted, slapping his forehead.

"Not quite… the monster that took him was flying in this direction." Biff replied, recalling the landscapes from their aerial view. "There's a slim chance he might be nearby, but…"

"I shall call upon Kublai," Khulan declared, firmly. "If anything is flying through these skies- especially with someone in their grasp- he would be the first to act on it. He and his men are always flying the Iron Wyvern- hardly anything would get by them. In the meantime, I urge you all to rest- you will need energy for whatever forces you may face,"

"We do need to rest in order to store up magicka…" Esther realized. "But we can't just leave your friend to fend for himself…"

"Poor Pugs…" Fangs whispered.

"I vote for a coffee-break, at the least." Drippy stated. "A couple espresso's will boost youer magicka quick enough; then we can use 'Foresee' to find Pugs, save his skin, an' get rid o' th' beasties causin' these problems!"

"That sounds good," Oliver agreed, leading everyone towards the inn. "We can tell you all more about the world too, so you have some more understanding of it,"

"I hope it won't be a long lesson," Fangs said to himself. The winged-cat flew beside him; he only flinched, looking away from it.

"Oh, you got a familiar too!" Esther stated, petting the winged cat. "A Dualynx, too!"

"Dualynx? Familiar?"

Esther nodded. "They're creatures that can help you in a fight- and also make for great company. Have you've named it, yet?"

Fangs shook his head. "No… what should I name it?"

"It's up to you. Name a creature, and they become yours,"

Fangs looked at the Dualynx, who was now playing with Kim's Minor Byrde. It was half purple, half white. He recalled seeing a moon on its head- but didn't want to look it in the eye. Not yet, at least. "Um… I'll name it later. I-I'm still freaked out about this whole thing,"

They entered the Inn, where Khulan made their arrangements for a room. "Go ahead and lay down, Fangs. You've had a rough day," he said. "I remember I was pretty wiped out when I first came to this world, too."

"You're not from here, either?"

Oliver shook his head. "Nope- actually, I come from your world! I live in a town called Motorville,"

Fangs sighed with relief. "So, you know how to get back?"

"Well, back to our world is no problem… but you guys come from a different time than mine." Oliver shook his head, as they entered a room. "We'll worry about that later, though. You've got enough on your mind already,"

Fang nodded, sitting down on a bed. "I'll say… I have a headache just trying to figure out why that wand brought us here!"

"It's another long story…" Biff said, rubbing his neck.

Khulan entered the room, carrying a set of clothes and handing them to Fangs. "Here, try these on." She stated. "Since you will be in our world for an unknown amount of time, you should change into something less eccentric- it will draw less attention from your foes,"

Fangs looked at the clothes- they consisted of a cream-colored long shirt with dust-colored pants, a red cloak, and a set of buckle-shoes. "Whatever keeps me from getting recognized by that creepy creature, I guess…" he took the clothes into the bathroom to change into.

"I shall go to Kublai now." Khulan said to the others. "I will return before sundown, with news on whether he has seen your missing friend or not,"

Kim sat down on the bed, her Minor Byrde nuzzling against her, and she stroked its feathers. "I hope he's okay, wherever he is…" she whispered.

"Well… so far, we've all found help. Puggsy might be in good hands by now, too!" Biff tried to assure her… as well as hoping his wishful thinking was right.


	9. Three Heads Are Worse Than One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gee, I wonder where Puggsy ended up? XD

"LET ME GO, YOU WINGED SPAWN OF SATAN!"

Compared to the rest of the shouts Puggsy had been yelling at the creature since it first snatched him up, that was the nicest.

He didn't know what kind of three-headed monster took him- each of its heads were different primary colors, its body multicolored, and all its eyes nothing but black pupils. But, he could care less- he just wanted it to put him down!

For God knows how long, the creature had been soaring through the clouds, mockingly dropping him every few minutes and catching him before he could land in the sea, or on any islands it soared over.

At one point, Puggsy had let go of the wand, and the creature dove towards it. He didn't have time to think of the reason as the creature ended up tossing him up in the air, one of the heads snapping at him as he fell.

 _I'm going to throw up, if I don't have a heart-attack first!_ Puggsy thought as the creature threw him across the air towards another flying creature, which dodged and screeched at him. He began to plummet until one head caught him by the leg with its teeth. He cried out- its fangs pierced through his legs.

The other two heads chuckled, and he glared. "Oh, you think pain is funny, huh?! Well here's a laugh for ya!" he snarled, raising the wand- the gem in it seemed to be reflecting sunlight, as it shined in the creature's eyes.

With a panicked screech, the monster dropped him- completely!

"YEEEEOOOOOOOWWWWWW!" Puggsy screamed as he fell through smoggy skies, plummeting towards the sea. The only thought that came to mind was the idea to hold his breath…

*SPLASH!*

Opening his eyes after crashing through the water's surface, he saw a variety of strange creatures within the waters. Some looked like harp-seals with horns; others looked like regular manta-rays but in different colors; and others that seemed to have tiny bodies, sleepy-looking eyes, and tailfins that came out of the back of their heads, all of them swimming away from him. His need for oxygen cancelled out his curiosity of the undersea life of this world, and he pulled himself to the surface, gasping for air.

He took in his surroundings; there was a smoggy-looking island up ahead. Not wanting to waste time and figure out what sort of sharks this world had, he swam to the coast as fast as he could.

By the time he reached shallow water, the sun was already beginning to set, and he collapsed in the sand, taking in deep breaths. "What… the hell… is wrong… with this world?!" he wheezed, then noticed he still had the wand in his grasp, and shook it in rage. "This is all your fault!"

The short teen stood up, preparing to cast the wand into the sea-

There came a loud roar, and he looked up at the skies- it was too cloudy to tell where the monster was at, which only made his heart race. Seeing a path, he ran up to a field. There were oil-wells and mine-tracks all around… but he was more focused on finding a place to hide. He rushed into the nearest cave, ducking down low and praying to God that monster lost track of him.

As he sat there, he looked at the wand- how badly he wanted to chuck it out of his sight… but paused. When he had let go of the wand earlier, the monster had swerved towards it until he managed to grab it again, and after that the monster kept whipping him around, as if it was wanting him to drop the wand.

Question was, what would a beast want with it?

"Why does this thing keep bringing me trouble?" he whispered to himself, sighing and leaning back against the wall. His body was sore from all the times the creature whipped him back and forth, as well as crashing into the water from 1000 feet or more; his leg was bleeding, and he had to tear fabric off his shirt to bandage it. His heart was still racing… but, considering he had a werewolf as a best friend, he had grown used to a rapid heart-rate.

He shut his eyes; since he was out of danger for the moment, he decided it would be a good time to rest…

A snort and a snarl was all it took to remind him he was in a monster-infested world, as he looked over, seeing what appeared to be a wild pig in the cave with him… and, as it seemed, didn't like to have uninvited guests dropping in. "Niiiiice pig, take it easy…" Puggsy gulped, inching away.

The hog stomped its hooves, huffing out smoke and charging at him!

"Yikes!" Fast as he could, Puggsy scrambled out of the cave, stumbling and falling to the side as the wild pig ran past. It turned around, snarling and running at him again! "Back off, porkchop, I've got enough problems!" Puggsy then swung the wand at it, bonking it on the head.

The hog shook its head, huffing out smoke and giving him a dark look- and Puggsy had a feeling he was in for it, being glowered from one-third of a BLT. The pig then reared up on its back legs… and let out an ear-piercing squeal that shattered the teen's ear-drums, similar to what happened when he and the others were attacked by those wild-dogs.

"Agh!" Puggsy covered his ears, not noticing the wild pig run at him and ramming him with its tusks, knocking him off his feet! He hissed in pain- the wound on his leg had been slit wider. He glared at the pig. "That's it, ya damn porkchop, you're dead!" he stood back up and, when the pig ran at him again, he caught it by its tusks and twisted, slamming it onto its side. He then picked up a rock and slammed it on the hog's face, leaving it in a daze.

He stood up, picking up the wand and turning to run to a more secure hiding spot-

His path blocked by two more creatures… and how to describe them was nearly impossible. One was a bug-eyed creature with two fly-trap-like leaves for hands, and the other was some sort of bot hovering on a giant cog. "What… the…?"

He didn't have time to react as the fly-trap creature came at him, swinging its leaves at him- with the spikes on its edges, it left a stinging scratch on its arm when he shielded himself on the last second, and he was really hoping the plant-like creature wasn't poisonous. The cog- somehow- managed to throw a large rock at him, nailing him in the gut and knocking him back.

There came a snort, and to his dismay the pig was back on its feet, and more angry than before!

"Ugh, getting my ass kicked by a pig, shrub and a wind-up toy… as if things weren't bad enough!" he snarled, holding up the wand and running, but the creatures pursued. "C'mon, can't you guys just fight each other?! What did I do to you?! WHOA!"

He caught himself, seeing he had come to a gorge- the nearest way around it was beyond the attacking creatures, and the only way across was an old mine-track. He turned around, seeing the creatures closing in on him. He backed onto the track, holding the wand before him. The creatures all paused, eyes widening.

He smirked- perhaps they thought he was going to cast some sort of spell. "Yeah, that's it, back off!" he swung the wand to the side. "You creeps really pissed me off- take a hike before I put a hex on ya!"

The pig squealed, the fly-trap squeaked, and the cog whirred all in fright, before turning and running. Puggsy smirked, spinning the wand in his hand. Perhaps all he had to do was look more intimidating to ward off the creatures…

A shadow loomed over him, and he suddenly realized he wasn't the one the creatures were afraid of, and remembered one other pest-problem he had been trying to avoid. He looked up, seeing the three-headed beast in the air, all eyes glaring at him. "Damn, I can't just shake this guy!" he gasped as the creature swiped at him.

And then, much to his shock, it spoke!

"Give…!" the red head snarled.

"Us…" the yellow head snapped.

"The…" the blue head sneered.

"WAND!" All three heads roared at once, the impact of their voice so might it sent Puggsy in a stumble, and he staggered on the mine-rail and nearly fell.

He landed on his hands and knees, but kept hold of the wand. He looked ahead, seeing something up ahead…

It was a large, pig-like structure located at the base of some mountains. Smoke and steam rose from pipes located in the roof of it. At the sight of it, Puggsy didn't know whether he would be safe there, or in worse danger…

But, considering he was being attacked by a three-headed monster, he decided being inside a giant steel pig-structure was better than the current situation!

He ran as fast as he could across the tracks, ducking below the monster when it dove for him, making the two side-heads collide with the middle one. The monster shook off its daze, then growled viciously, flying after him. The red head then breathed fire at him, while the blue head shot out ice-cold water, both powers colliding and making a steam-cloud in front of him, blinding his way. Some of the water condensation caused the tracks to become slick, and he ended up slipping and falling over the edge!

Puggsy swung his hand up, grabbing onto the edge of the rail and catching himself. The wand nearly fumbled from his grasp, but he kept a hold on it. He wanted to just drop it and let the creature chase it into the pit… but he wasn't going to give the monster the satisfaction of victory, much less figured it wouldn't leave him alone even if it got what it was after.

The three-headed monster hovered above him. The yellow head leered close. " _Give us the wand, or we'll rob it off your corpse!"_ it snarled.

Puggsy sneered, glaring back at it. "Get out of my face, or I'll busterate it!" he shot back.

All three heads laughed. _"Fool! Serpens can only be broken by the one who forged it—Tobias himself! It is indestructible against others!"_ the blue head chastised.

Puggsy sneered, keeping a grip on the wand. "Let's see how true that is!" he swung the wand towards the steel support beams-

The red head shot down and clamped its jaws around the wand… as well as Puggsy's hand! The beast tightened its jaws, causing the teen to scream in pain, as it prepared to tear the wand away from him- including his own hand!

A clawed hand then pried his other hand off the rails, preparing to cause the teen to fall and be severed from his hand completely. Puggsy began to hyperventilate from the pain and the fear welling inside him, that he didn't notice something coming from the side-

A blast of light struck the creature in the side, making the blue and yellow heads to screech in pain. There was gunfire as bullets were shot into the red head's face, one bullet hitting its eye and it screeched in pain, releasing its hold on Puggsy's hand and the wand. However, the agony the creature was enduring also caused it to let go of his other hand, and the teen began to plummet into the pit-

There was another gunshot, as a grappling-hook suddenly caught Puggsy by the leg, and he ended up swinging into the side of the mountain, dropping the wand but he caught it with his good hand. Upside-down, he looked and saw the monster being shot at with blasts of light, before it flew away- spouting something about coming back or meeting again or some cliché line.

There was a jerk, as suddenly he began to slowly rise up. _"Damn, this kid's heavy- Marcassin, give me a hand!"_ came a voice.

" _Puppet-String!"_ another voice called, and suddenly a white, glowing line was cast over the edge, 'hooking' onto Puggsy and lifting him up, the grappling hook on his leg retracting. Once he was on level-ground, the teen fell on his stomach, taking deep breaths; he looked up at his rescuers, seeing one was a young man with fair skin, long black hair, and bright green-blue eyes; the other was an older looking man with messy hair, tan skin, baring a stubble.

"Are you alright? What the bloody hell was that thing?!" the older man asked him.

"How should I know?! I barely know what half the monsters around here are!" Puggsy retorted, wincing as he moved. His hand was bleeding at the wrist, nearly severed, and his leg was gushing blood, the other leg sore from where the grappling hook caught him. "I need to get to a doctor or something… Is there one in that building over there?"

"Hold on," The long-haired man said, kneeling beside him. Puggsy noticed he was holding a wand- this one having three stones within a circle, with a pair of wings on its shaft. He waved it in a matter that caused a strange symbol to glow…

"What the hell-?!" Puggsy was suddenly engulfed in a blue light, and he began to panic. Once it faded, he turned to the stranger. "What did you do to me?!"

"Hey, pansy, he just healed your wounds! I suggest you show some more gratitude!" The other stranger snipped.

Puggsy looked; all signs of scratches, bleeding, and bruises had vanished completely. The only gash he saw was in his pantleg, and through the tear he saw all that remained of his wound was a scar. "I'm sorry I couldn't heal it fully- it will be sore until I can cast another healing spell," the long-haired man said. "Right now, however, it appears I have gone through most of my magicka, but I believe there's some healing tonics you can-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down there! What do you mean 'healing spells', 'tonics', and magic?! Are you saying you're a wizard or something?!" Puggsy demanded.

"A sage, to be specific. I am Emperor Marcassin, the Great Sage of Hamelin," he nodded over at the other man. "This is my brother, Prince Gascon, the Master Technician of our city."

"Call me Swaine," The older man stated, sticking out his hand.

Puggsy shook it once. "Puggsy… and I still have no clue what's going on in this world,"

The two brothers looked at each other, then back at him. "You mean you're from another world?" Marcassin inquired. "How did you get to ours?"

Puggsy grimaced, holding up the wand. "This stupid staff here launched me and my friends here, and ever since then monsters have been coming after us!" he then gasped. "Oh crud- the others! I have to find them! Kim and Fangs are still missing- God knows what happened to Biff…!" he stood up, only to feel pain shoot up his leg and he was forced to sit back down.

"Take it easy! You won't be finding anyone until you've fully healed," Swaine told him.

"Then cast another healing spell! I need to find them- damn, they'd better still be alive…!"

Marcassin rested a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down. We'll help you find them, but first you must tell us all that's happened. Do you know how the wand brought you here, or why the monsters are after you?"

"I think the wand was cursified or something… and that monster that was after me was aiming to get it! Called it a weird name too… Serpent, I think."

Marcassin's eyes widened. "Serpens?"

"Yeah, that's it! …What's wrong? You know something about it?"

Marcassin turned to his brother, who shared equal concern. "Get him inside the city. We'll have to discuss this in the palace,"

"Whoa- hold it, what's going on?!"

"We'll discuss it inside. You'll have to come with us," Swaine told him, holstering what Puggsy just now noticed was a strange-looking handgun. He reached for Puggsy's arm, but the teen jerked away.

"Not so fast- why should I trust the likes of you two?"

Swaine gave him a look. "We just saved your neck, and know that wand your carrying is dangerous. It's either trust us, or stay out here and take your chances with that beast again!"

Puggsy sneered at him. Marcassin held out his hand. "I promise we will find your friends. There is a spell I know that can help locate them-but we must hurry. That monster could come back any minute," he advised.

Puggsy sighed, grabbing Marcassin's hand and allowing both royals to help him up. "Fine… but we find them first, then discuss this wand later."

"Deal," Swaine said… then murmured under his breath, "…stubborn loudmouth…"

He gave him a look. "What was that?!"

"I said keep walking," With that, they headed towards the structure deemed as Hamelin.


	10. Finding Magic Within

As they walked through the industrialized city, Swaine kept looking at the stranger from another world- what was his name again? Puggsy? If his outfit wasn't a giveaway that he wasn't from Ni No Kuni, his name alone was. He looked at the wand, Serpens- just seeing the thing gave him a chill. He recalled his nightmare about the evil staff returning to their world, as well as Marcassin's vision about Tobias. _This is not going to end well, I can just feel it…_ he mentally groaned.

He noticed Puggsy kept looking around the city, limping a bit as he walked- having insisted he was able to walk on his own, perhaps to save face. "This is some mechanicalized city you got here," he commented, looking at one of the giant gears rotating between two buildings. "What's with all the gears and stuff?"

"The gears help in generating power for our city. It's mostly steam-powered, though often we run on oil mined from the plains," Marcassin told him, going into detail about how the city runs on power, how the buildings are rotated from time to time for royal processions or to check for any malfunctions.

Swaine tuned them out for a minute, deep in thought. _Question is, why did that wand bring this guy and his friends here… More importantly, what kind of people are they?_ He looked at Puggsy from the corner of his eye- right now the teen was looking at the ceiling of the city's domain. _He seemed stunned to be in a different world, but could it be an act?_ He looked at the scar on his leg, and remembered how that monster nearly bit his hand off just to get the wand. _…Probably not, unless he was going into overkill with his charade._

"So why keep the city concealed?" Puggsy asked Marcassin, looking around at the structure built around Hamelin. "Are there a lot of attacks or something going on?"

"The city was concealed after the Wizard Wars, when the three kingdoms had been divided." Marcassin told him. "The structure was built to preserve the city, as well as shield it from enemy attacks. Annually, we have the outer-walls and ceiling upgraded, namely so any damages or rusting does not cause it to become impenetrable."

"How do you upgrade it?"

"That is information only the construction crews and soldiers are allowed to know," Swaine replied first, giving Puggsy a suspicious look. "Sorry for the secrecy, but we don't share prioritized information with tourists."

Puggsy glared at him. "Sheesh, pardon me for being curious,"

"Come, the palace is this way," Marcassin stated, turning down the street.

"You sure I'm allowed in, or does your brother prefer I wait outside?" Puggsy remarked, giving Swaine a look.

"Don't get cocky, otherwise you can go look for your friends, with nothing but a sore leg for support!" Swaine snapped.

"Gascon, watch your temper," Marcassin scolded, then turned to Puggsy. "And I suggest you watch yourself as well, Puggsy, considering we're helping you- and the fact that our world may be at stake…"

"With all the monsters running around here, I'm not surprised," Puggsy commented. Marcassin gave him a serious look. "…But, I'm willing to cooperate, as long as we can find my friends,"

Marcassin gave an approving nod. "Good. Now come into the palace, and tell us everything about how you found that wand,"

"Outside the fact I think it's cursified?"

They entered the palace, and Swaine sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is going to be one hell of a trial…" he muttered as he followed them in.

0oo0o0o0o0o0o0

Back in Perdida, Fangs was standing in front of a mirror, looking at his new attire. "And this is how everyone dresses in this world?"he asked Oliver, pulling the hood of his cloak on and off, and swishing the cape of it around.

"Well, it depends on where you go," Oliver replied, looking at his Wizard's Companion. "So… you guys are from the future, right? What year are you from?"

"1980, what year is this? …Er, or does this world keep track?"

"Of course it does, mun!" Mr. Drippy answered first, startling the teen a bit (He forgot there was a short fairy in the room). "We may not have all th' technology or fashion youer world has, but we're modern in ouer own way, like."

Oliver nodded. "The year right now is 1950. What's 1980 like?" he asked.

"Um… well… we have color TV now, for a start-" Fangs began to say.

"Whoa, hold up there, Fangs!" Mr. Drippy interrupted, then turned to Oliver. "Ye can't be askin' bout th' future, mun. Too much may put youer mind into shock, an' could upset th' balance o' space an' time!"

"But… didn't we share information from our time when we were sent into the past?" Oliver questioned.

"Aye, but that was different- we had to PROVE we were from th' future, but didn't blab about new technology, or what people were wearing, or historical events."

"I guess that makes sense," Biff agreed, rubbing his chin. "…I wonder if our coming to the past will affect the timeline?"

"As long as ye all play it cool an' not tell anyone else youe're from th' future, I think we'll be safe," Mr. Drippy began to ponder. "Though, perhaps ye were also meant to be brought here, like how we were summoned into th' past for a good reason-"

"You went back in time?" Kim asked Oliver.

"Yeah- we were summoned there by the spirit of someone named Gallus." Esther replied. "We had to go back in time in order to retrieve a wand called Mornstar, because it had been destroyed in our time. We had to use the 'Breach Time' spell in order to return to the present,"

"So, you have a spell that can send us back? That's perfect!" Biff exclaimed. "You can use it to send us home!"

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck. "Well… actually… we can't." he replied. "The spell can only be used one time, and one time only. We all had to use it together in order to return,"

"…and there went my hope for the future," Fangs sighed, sitting down on the bed and resting his face in his hands.

"But we have friends who can do it!" Esther assured them. "Marcassin has never used it, and neither has Cassiopeia! Perhaps they can help!"

"Although, there is an alternative…" Mr. Drippy stated, thinking hard and turning to Biff, Kim, and Fangs. "One of ye can use th' spell, too!"

"Huh?!" Biff, Kim, and Fangs all gasped.

"But… we don't know magic!" Kim told him.

"An' how do ye know? That story ye heard said only someone wit' magicka inside could make th' wand send 'em back by here, which didn't happen till ye all grabbed it! I think one o' ya might be a wizard, an' never knew it!" Mr. Drippy replied.

"But… how do we find out which one of us it is? We were all holding on to the wand when it cast that spell," Biff said.

"Could be all o' you- but there's one way to figure it out!" Mr. Drippy turned to Oliver. "Lend 'em youer wand, Ollie-Boy, an' let 'em try a spell- something simple, like… 'Fireball'!"

"Fireball?!" Fangs repeated, eyes wide. His Dualynx let out a shocked hiss, hiding behind its wings.

"Um… how about something less dangerous, like 'Puppet String'?" Esther suggested. She pointed over at a potted plant. "You can use it to try and move that pot over there,"

"That will work!" Oliver replied, handing his wand to Fangs. He opened his Wizard's Companion to the page describing the spell, handing it to the lanky teen. "All you have to do is wave the wand to match this symbol, say the name, and you'll cast it!"

"…Do you have to do this every time?" Fangs asked, shaking in nervousness.

"It's actually for the first time- in order to help the wand be familiar with the kinds of spells its user is casting. Then all you have to do is think of the symbol to cast the spell," Esther replied.

"Um… o-okay, I'll try…" Fangs looked at the symbol, then waved the wand in that manner.

Nothing happened.

He tried again, doing it in a different way, thinking maybe he 'drew' in the air backwards, but nothing happened. "Ooh, ooh, nothing's happening. I guess I'm not a wizard," Fangs said, sighing a bit.

"Mind if I try next?" Kim asked, and Fangs handed her the wand and book next. She looked at the spell and tried to cast the rune. She turned to Oliver when nothing happened. "Am I doing it right?"

"You did what I had done…" Oliver said with a shrug.

Biff took the wand and book next. "Let me try,"

"Ah, might as well give up- if' a kid who can turn into a werewolf couldn't do it, chances are I was wrong… for once," Mr. Drippy stated, crossing his arms. "Whoever gave that story behind that cursed wand was probably off his rocker!"

"But, they have a fourth friend! Maybe he's the one!" Esther reminded him.

Fangs paled a bit. "Pugs? A wizard? I'd have a heart-attack if that were true!" he commented. His eyes widened, and his jaw went slack. "…actually, I'm having one now!"

"Why-" Oliver followed his gaze, and gasped.

Everyone looked, seeing that the Wizard's Companion was floating in front of Biff, a glowing rune above his head after he traced the symbol in the air; it then turned into a white line, linking to the pot across the room, picking it up! "Whoa!" Biff exclaimed.

"Jeepers! Biff's a wizard!" Oliver exclaimed.

"Ha! I knew it th' whole time!" Mr. Drippy shouted in glee.

"Biff! H-How are you doing that?" Kim asked.

"I don't know- but what do I do now?!" Biff asked.

"Just wave your wand to move the pot, then just think about setting the pot down to finish casting it." Esther advised him.

Biff did so, moving the pot a little to the left before breaking the link to the spell- accidentally causing the pot to tip over. "Oops… um…" he responded, a bit shocked at his newfound talent.

"Not bad for a first try, Biff!" Mr. Drippy complimented him. "Wit' a bit more practice, youe'll be an expert on magic in no time!"

"Incredible…" Kim gasped.

"Ooh, ooh, who would've thought Biff had it in him?" Fangs stated, amazed. "Do another spell, Biff!"

Esther gasped in excitement. "Do the 'Foresee' spell!" she exclaimed. "Then we can find out where Puggsy is!"

"Right, I-I will… after I sit down for a moment…" Biff replied, still stunned… and fainted into a chair.

Mr. Drippy shook his head. "Guess it was too much for him to handle," he guessed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"…and the next thing I know, I'm getting snagged by some three-headed monster and getting dropped into the sea!" Puggsy was telling Marcassin and Swaine as they sat in the royal chambers. The young sage had given him a healing-tonic for his leg, which cleared up the scar and relieved him of the soreness. "I managed to get to shore alright, but that crazified creature tracked me down. I figured it was after the wand- but I don't know why,"

"The monster must be in alliance with Tobias," Marcassin stated, and Puggsy gave him a curious look. "He's an evil sorcerer who made the wand thousands of years ago. It was banished far into time in your realm; he ended up imprisoned, and all his minions went into hiding. Now that it's back, they must have come out of hiding in search for it,"

"Hold it… if Tobias had made it thousands of years ago, shouldn't he be dead by now? Or are wizards immortal here or something?"

"No… well, except for Shadar- the Dark Djinn,"

Puggsy leaned back, crossing his arms. "Great… as if there wasn't enough trouble to deal with,"

"Don't worry about it- he's dead," Swaine told him, smirking. "I should know- I helped kill him and save the world,"

Puggsy arched an eyebrow, turning to Marcassin. "I thought you said he was immortal!"

"Well, in a sense he was- by breaking links with his soul-mates, he managed to gain their life-forces and be indestructible, up until Oliver was able to defeat him," Marcassin explained. Swaine quietly cleared his throat. "Oh- with the help of Gascon, and Esther as well."

"Breaking links with soul-mates…? What, was he a heart-breaker or something?" Puggsy questioned- believing Marcassin meant the 'romantic' sense of the term 'soul-mate'.

Marcassin looked at him, surprised. "Actually, yes! He broke everyone's heart, including mine and Gascon's. It was how he managed to get people to fear him. …How did you figure it out?"

Puggsy blinked in confusion. "Um… it sounded obvious? Him hooking up with different people only to break their- did you mention you and your brother's?"

Swaine caught on. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What do you mean 'hook up'?!" he questioned.

"Well you said he broke up with his 'soul-mates' and broke hearts!"

Swaine slapped his forehead. "…blimey… not THAT kind of soul-mate, you twit…"

Marcassin realized the misunderstanding as well. "Ah, I assume 'soul-mate' has a different meaning in your world. Yes, I can understand your confusion, now…" he said, clearing his throat. "The term 'soul-mate' is used to describe someone in our world sharing a life-connection with someone in your world, meaning they have a parallel version of themselves in a different realm of existence. For instance, in your time, there may be another 'you' living here in our world,"

"…God help us then," Swaine whispered under his breath, earning a glare from the short teen.

"Okay, I think I can understand that… But what about the whole 'breaking hearts' part?" Puggsy inquired, turning his attention back to Marcassin. "From where I come from, heart-break happens when someone breaks up with their lover,"

"Well, losing Love is one part of the heart-break Shadar caused," Marcassin explained. "Shadar used his powers to steal a piece of someone's heart- whether it was their Ambition, Confidence, Courage, Enthusiasm, Love, Kindness… He stole my Belief, and took my brother's Restraint. When he caused everyone to become broken-hearted, it led to disastrous situations. If it wasn't for Oliver's help, the entire world would have ended up broken-hearted and fallen to ruin,"

"This 'Oliver' kid must be pretty powerful if he can take out an immortal creepo…"

"More powerful than you think- especially at such a young age." Marcassin looked at Serpens, his expression solemn. "Hopefully he will be able to help with our current situation."

"I say we just break this wand and save everyone the trouble," Swaine scoffed, grabbing Serpens and swinging it onto the floor-

*Clang!*

The wand held firm- not even a scratch appeared on it! "Huh? What the hell- Agh!" Swaine dropped the wand, gripping its hands.

"Brother! What happened?!" Marcassin gasped.

"I don't know- pain just shot through my hands! …feels like I tried to punch a hole in a steel wall- ow…" he glared down at Serpens. "That damn wand probably did it!"

Puggsy rubbed his chin. "That monster did say something about Tobias being the only one who can destroy it…" he told the two royals.

Swaine gave him a look. "Oh, thanks for telling me that NOW!"

"Shut up, I just remembered it!"

"Then we will have to banish the wand once more," Marcassin spoke up. "We'll have to find out how the Wizard King had done it- surely he didn't just use 'Breach Time', otherwise it would not have ended up in another world."

"Right… this time see if you can send it to another planet," Puggsy suggested, standing up. "Right now, I'd like to go find my friends- God knows what's happened to them by now,"

Marcassin stood up with him. "Well, you won't get too far in those clothes, much less without a proper weapon," he looked at Serpens. "…And I suggest we keep Serpens locked away and out of sight, for the sake of everyone's security."

"By all means, lock it away. …But what's wrong with my clothes?"

"Outside the fact that they make you stand out like a sore thumb?" Swaine remarked, earning yet another glare.

"Gascon, since you appear to be most concerned about it, you may take him to the Hootique and buy him an outfit, and to the Cawtermaster's to equip him," Marcassin firmly stated.

Swaine gawked. "What?! Why do I have to take him shopping?!"

"Because I'll be sending word to Queen Cassiopeia about our situation- that, and it will make up for your ill manners," Marcassin turned to Puggsy. "And I would appreciate it if you minded yourself as well, Puggsy, considering we're helping you find your friends."

Puggsy crossed his arms. "Alright, alright, whatever you say, your highness." He muttered.

Swaine sighed, nodding towards the door. "C'mon, let's get it over with," he stated, and they walked out.

Once they were out, Marcassin let out a heavy sigh. "There are two of them now. Splendid." He muttered, sarcastically.


	11. First Impressions Are Very Important

" _Biff…? Are you alright?"_

" _Yeah, Biff, wake up! …weird, I figured I'd be the first to faint…"_

" _I think he's comin' to! C'mon, Biffy-boy, up an' at 'em…!"_

Biff lightly groaned, opening his eyes. The first thing he saw was Mr. Drippy standing on his chest, his lantern shining in his face. "Ugh… c-can you turn off your light, please?" he asked the fairy, covering his eyes. He sat up, seeing he was lying in a chair at an awkward angle, and stood up to stretch his back. His thoughts recollected what had happened moments ago, and he looked over at the tipped-over pot, realizing it wasn't a delusion.

He was truly a wizard.

"How do you feel?" Oliver asked him.

"Still a bit shocked, to be honest…" Biff replied, rubbing his head. "So I really did cast a spell…"

"Yes, and you can use 'Foresee' to find Puggsy!" Esther exclaimed.

"Can we take a break from the magic, first? I want to find my friend too, but I'm still trying to overcome my paranoia of all this!" Fangs gulped. His Dualynx floated up to him, mewing curiously, making the teen gasp and flinch. "…anyone have an idea on how I can get away from this thing?"

"Oh, you coward! You have nothing to be afraid of!" Esther stroked the Dualynx's ear, making it purr. "All he wants to do is be your familiar- and as advanced as he is in his species, I'd say you should be grateful!"

"Yeah, Fangs, you have nothing to worry about," Kim assured him, allowing her Minor Byrde to perch on her arm. "My familiar actually saved my life after I was kidnapped."

"That reminds me…" Biff stated, turning to Oliver. "You used a familiar to save me… but afterwards it shrunk into a light and disappeared into your chest. How did that happen?"

"It's how familiars work," Oliver replied. "When you first get a familiar, it becomes a part of your heart." He tapped on his chest, summoning his familiar- the little blue creature Biff had seen before. "The stronger your bond is, the better they'll fight. Mitey here really helped me out when I first formed him,"

Mitey looked at the teens, giving a short 'meep' and waving. Fangs cringed. "W-What kind of creature is that?" he stammered.

"It's called a Mite, part of the millite group," Oliver answered, then summoned Mitey back.

"Wow… so how do Fangs and I get ours to recede into our chests?" Kim asked.

"Oh, that's simple. All you have to do is give them names, and then just tap your chests to summon them in and out!" Esther replied with a smile. She tuned to Fangs. "Don't be nervous, Fangs. Once you and your familiar bond, you'll have someone to help defend you!"

Fangs gulped, looking at Dualynx. Biff could tell the lanky teen wasn't so sure about allowing some bizarre creature near his heart. As if to assure him of its worth, the flying feline nuzzled against his arm, motioning him to stroke its head. "Um… okay… What should I name it?" Fangs asked Esther.

"It's your familiar. You decide!"

Kim looked at her Minor Byrde. "I think I'm going to call mine… 'Mavis'." She said, looking at her familiar. "Does that sound good to you?" The byrde let out an excited chirp, and she smiled. "Great! Mavis it is!"

'Mavis' then shrunk down to a ball of light, receding into Kim's chest. "How does it feel?" Biff asked.

Kim giggled. "Kind of warm… and I feel a little stronger, too!"

"That's how I felt the first time," Oliver chuckled.

The Dualynx pawed at Fangs' shoulder, as if to say 'Name me next!'. "Okay, okay, calm down! Hmm… well lets see… you're two colors- dark and light. How do I come up with a name to go with that?" Fangs wondered. He looked at the others. "Any suggestions?"

"How about 'Roscuro'? It's Italian for 'darkness and light," Biff suggested. The Dualynx stuck its tongue out at him.

"How about Shadow? Since shadows are dark but can be seen in light," Kim suggested. The flying feline shook its head.

"How 'bout 'Mister Picky', since Fangs can't decide on a name an' th' cat is being finicky," Mr. Drippy quipped. The Dualynx hissed at him. "Oi, it was just a joke ye half-faced feline!"

Fangs looked at the moon on its forehead- though before he got a good enough look to transform, the winged cat turned and curled into a ball, rolling on the mattress. "There's a moon on its head… maybe Luna? Or Midnight? Or Moonlight? Maybe Dawn, or Dusk?" Fangs guessed, though his familiar didn't respond. "…I'm out of moon-based names,"

"Why just the moon? That's only half of its identity," Esther replied.

"Half moon… half dark… half light…" Fangs then snapped his fingers. "I've got it! Eclipse!"

"Meow?" The Dualynx responded, perking its head up at the name. It then shrunk into a ball of light, and receded into Fangs' chest.

The teen gasped, rubbing his chest, though relaxed once he noticed the warm feeling and knew he wasn't at risk. "Ooh, ooh, that does tickle…"

"How did you come up with the name, Fangs?" Oliver asked.

"Well, I thought about times when the moon is seen during night and day- via an eclipse, when it blocks the sun during the daytime, the only time 'night' and 'day' happen at the same time… in my opinion, at least. You think it's a good name?"

"Hee hee, Eclipse sure likes it!" Esther replied.

"Alrighty- now that Biff has magicka, Kimmy an' Fangs have familiars, an' we've had some rest, let's get back to searchin'!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed.

"Right!" Oliver said, then showed Biff his Wizard's Companion, opening to the 'Foresee' spell. "Just cast this rune, Biff, and say Puggsy's name."

"I hope I use it right…" Biff sighed, remembering Oliver's instructions of being specific.

"I doubt there's anyone else named 'Puggsy' in this world," Drippy commented.

"If there is, I'm going to laugh," Kim chuckled. She cleared her throat. "Give it a try, Biff."

Biff nodded, then cast the 'Foresee' spell, the swirling image appearing before him. "I'd like to know where our friend, 'Puggsy', is please," he carefully stated.

Immediately the image began to swirl… only instead of showing bright colors, the colors suddenly grew dark until they were black and gray shades, the glow of the image dimming. Fangs yelped and ducked behind the bed, while the others stared in shock. The image stopped swirling, showing a dark figure in a cave, its eyes bright violet and all they could make out was a sinister grin.

" _Bring me my wand…!"_

The voice was dark, low, and sent a chill down their spines; the figure's mere gaze cause Fangs to freeze in terror. "Who… who is that?!" Kim gasped.

"I-I don't know!" Esther stammered. 

Oliver stared. Just from the statement alone, he could draw a conclusion. "Tobias?" he gasped.

Biff clenched his fists. "Where is my friend?!" he demanded.

In the image, the figure only laughed, before the scene went dark and the spell was broken.

Everyone stood there in stunned silence. "What… what was that all about?" Esther stammered.

"That rotter must've hacked th' spell somehow, jus' to scare us," Drippy sneered, crossing his arms.

"Well, it worked!" Fangs quivered, now hiding under the bed.

"But… I thought he was powerless without his wand!" Oliver questioned. "That's what the story said…"

"He's also supposed to be dead, mun! But apparently he found some way to stay alive, the wretch!" Drippy groused.

"You said the wand was powered by dark magic… Maybe he mustered a bit of magicka within himself to interfere!" Esther guessed.

"Just like how he could have sent those monsters after us…" Biff added, rubbing his chin. "Question is, why did he choose to do that trick now, instead of when it was cast the first couple times?"

"Maybe he only did it because you were casting it? Either that, or he doesn't want us to find Puggsy for some reason…" Oliver replied.

"Not find Pugs?! *grr* No way is he going to stop me from finding my best friend!" Came Fangface's voice out of Fangs' mouth as he suddenly climbed out from under the bed, standing tall. The teen gasped, covering his mouth a moment and looking at the others. "…I have no idea where that came from!"

Esther looked at Kim. "Dueling personality," Kim whispered with a smile. "Don't try to tell him- he never believes us,"

Esther giggled. "I guess a 'Dual-lynx' is his perfect familiar then!"she whispered back.

"I don't care where it came from, I agree wit' that statement!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed, hopping on Fangs' shoulder. "Let's go find Puggsy!"

"But… we don't have enough magicka!" Oliver replied.

"And Khulan went to speak with Kublai… We may have to wait," Kim sighed.

"No we won't!" Esther replied in realization. "Marcassin can help! Hamelin is just down the mountain, we can get there quick on Tengri!"

"Oi, forgot bout ouer Pork Prince friends, I did! Tidy thinkin', lass, lets go see 'em!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed, hopping ahead. "…'bout time we got ol' Thief-Face involved, anyhow."

"I'll have the guard outside deliver the message to Khulan," Oliver said, heading out and towards the entrance to the city.

Everyone walked out. Esther led the teens towards Tengri, who was resting by the city, letting out a gentle growl at the sight of his friends. "…w-w-we're getting a ride from a d-d-dragon?" Fangs gulped, pausing in his tracks.

"Don't worry, Fangs. Tengri is an excellent flyer- and it's really fun!" Kim assured him.

"Doesn't this world have taxis we can take? M-maybe I should stay here, in case Pugs shows up…"

"Give me strength, mun! It's perfectly safe! " Mr. Drippy scoffed. "Stop youer whinin' an' get on th' dragon!"

Fangs moaned, climbing onto the dragon's back and sitting close to Kim and Biff. Oliver climbed on with Esther and Mr. Drippy, after giving the guard their message for Khulan. "Okay, everyone hang on! Here we go!" the young wizard exclaimed, and Tengri took to the skies.

"AAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEE!" was Fangs' initial response, and immediately he covered his eyes. "Pull over! Pull over! I just remembered I'm afraid of heights! I'm going to get airsick! I don't have my seatbelt on!"

"Oh, quiet down! You're perfectly fine!" Esther shot back at him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Just relax and enjoy the view! The stars look amazing from up here!"

Fangs cautiously peeked out through his fingers, seeing they were above the clouds, having a clear view of the night sky. "I g-guess it's sort of pretty… The mountains look so tiny from up here, and the moon looks so close!" he looked over at the moon in the sky, and suddenly froze. "T-the moon…!"

"Uh-oh… Oliver, how does Tengri do around other creatures?" Biff asked quickly.

"It depends- why?"Oliver asked in alarm.

"Arrroooooooooooo!" came a howl as Fangs transformed into Fangface.

"KYAAH!" Tengri suddenly screeched in alarm, and bucked! The werewolf, Mr. Drippy, and Biff ended up falling off!

"That's whyyyYYYYYY!" Biff screamed as he fell.

"WHOA! How did we end up in the air?!" Fangface cried- then did a double-take. "BIFF! Ooh, ooh, when did you get here?" he then looked at Mr. Drippy, flailing in the air. "…an' what's this thing wit' us?"

"I'M A FAIRY, YA BUCK-TOOTHED WOLF!" Mr. Drippy screamed. "And right now, we're about to HIT TH' FLIPPIN' GROUND!"

The trio screamed, 100 feet from hitting solid rock…

In a flash of purple, Tengri swooped down and caught them on his back. "Gotcha!" Oliver exclaimed in relief. He then had Tengri swoop down, landing by a large pig-shaped structure. "Is everyone alright?"

"Y-yeah, I think so…" Biff panted, trying to steady his still-racing heart.

"Oi, I think I'm gonna be sick…" Drippy commented, walking around loopily. He then turned to Fangface. "Oi, Wolf-Face, next time ye decide to howl, MAKE SURE WE AIN'T 5,000 FEET IN TH' AIR!"

Fangface let out a huff. "First of all, my name is FANG-face! Second, I didn't know we were flying, so lay off!" the werewolf retorted. "Now if you'll excuse me, there's something I have to do! *grr*" he then took off towards the building.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Esther called.

"Where else? *grr* To find Pugs!" Fangface rushed onwards. "Where's Pugs? *grr* I'll find that little pipsqueak, wherever he's hiding!"

Everyone exchanged glances. "Is he always like this…?" Oliver asked.

Biff nodded, sighing. "Yeah- c'mon, we'd better catch up to him!" he replied, and the group took off after the werewolf.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"So there's 1500g for the clothes, and 500g for the sword. …You'd better earn some guilders fast, kid."

Puggsy, who was looking at his new red vest, white shirt, black pants, and boots in his reflection, turned and gave Swaine a look. "What for?" he asked.

"What f- to pay me back, that's what for! …You didn't think I was going to be generous, did you?" Swaine scoffed, as they walked out of the Hootique. "Unless you plan on doing a favor for me in return,"

"What are you, part of a mafia? I don't have any money on me!" Puggsy retorted. He then looked at the sword he was given- it was a blue-steel blade with a purple gem in the handle. "…besides I said I preferred a gun,"

"Well, you're out of luck there- the weapon shops don't sell guns… yet." Swaine took out his pistol, twirling it on his finger. "Once we assemble enough to sell, it would be out of your price range, anyway. Weapons this advanced won't come cheap, you know."

Puggsy gave him a sneer. "Oh yeah? How about lending me one then, and we can get your money back selling the sword?"

Swaine scoffed. "Like I'm going to trust a stranger with one of my guns!"

"Oh c'mon! My life is at risk here! Have a heart, would ya?" Puggsy put his hands on his hips, giving Swaine a glare. "…or do you have one at all?"

Swaine crossed his arms. "With that attitude, you'll have to convince me to get a gun. And unless some creature attacks you within the next 30 seconds, that's going to take some work!"

Puggsy opened his mouth to reply…

*WHOMP!*

…until something tackled him from behind, and began to swing him around, biting his arm! Swaine gasped, aiming his gun and preparing to fire-

Hearing a gun click, the creature turned and, seeing the gun aimed at him, lunged at Swaine!

The prince was pinned to the ground before he could pull the trigger, at the mercy of yet another vicious unknown creature. The creature was about to tear his face off-

"Knock it off, nit-wolf! You're scaring him!"


	12. Swapping Information

Once the creature was distracted, Swaine pushed it off him and got to his feet, keeping his gun out; by this point, a few citizens were gathering to see what was going on; a couple grunts ran over as well. "Your highness, what's going on?" one of the grunts asked.

"That's what I want to know!" Swaine replied, turning to Puggsy- who was just face-palming in embarrassment, the creature standing in front of him while glaring at the ex-thief. "Puggsy, what IS that thing?!"

"Thing?! *grr* I'm not a 'thing', sir! I'm a werewolf!" the creature responded first.

Swaine gave a jolt. "Blimey, it talks!"

"Yes… it's getting him to shut-up that would be surprising," Puggsy remarked, walking up and resting a hand on Fangface's shoulder. "This is my friend, Fangface; Fangface, this is-"

"Swaine!" called a voice, and they looked over, seeing Oliver, Esther, and Mr. Drippy running over… along with two strangers. Oliver was the one who shouted. "Is everything alright?"

"I'd be lying if I said 'yes'… Any of you lot know what the hell's going on around here?" Swaine replied, crossing his arms. "Who are the twosome with you- and what's with the wolf-creature?"

"This is Biff and Kim. We're helping them find their friend," Esther replied, then looked over at Puggsy. "…Is that him?"

"Ooh, ooh, you betcha!" Fangface exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Puggsy.

"So this creature is not a threat?" one of the grunts asked.

"At the moment, no… Go back to your posts, we'll handle it from here," Swaine assured them, and the grunts walked off.

"Puggsy, are you alright? What all happened?" Biff asked.

"Where to start? One minute I'm being used as a hacky-sack by some monster until I hit the sea, then I come to this island only to be harassified by MORE monsters, nearly get killed… and then come across a wizard and his gun-slinging brother here," Puggsy replied, thumbing at Swaine. "What happened to you guys?"

"Basically the same thing," Kim replied. "It's a lot to talk about…"

"I'll say… I'm still lost! How did we end up flying on a dragon? And… who are these kids? *grr*" Fangface asked, pointing at Oliver and Esther.

"This is Oliver and Esther- they helped us find you guys, and know something about that wand," Biff replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "As well as taught us how magic works here…"

"What do you mean how magic works?" Puggsy asked.

"Well… it turns out Biff is a wizard! Oliver lent him a wand, and he managed to cast a spell!" Kim replied. "They also taught us how familiars work,"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down! What do you mean by Biff being a wizard, and familiar-talk?"

"Geez, have you've got a lot to learn…" Swaine sighed under his breath.

"W-We'll show you in a minute. …Right now, where's the wand?" Biff asked Puggsy.

"I left it back with Marcassin at the palace, just to make sure no other creepos come around," Puggsy replied.

"Hidin' it away won't do good. What we need to do is banish that flippin' staff again!" Mr. Drippy scoffed.

Puggsy looked down, just now noticing the fairy. "Okay, one more question. What-"

"I'm a fairy! Don't bother askin'! Sheesh!"

"A fairy, huh? Weird… I figured fairies looked like little people with wings and tights,"

Mr. Drippy gave a glare. "Well, April Fools, Puggsy-boy!" he turned to the others. "Wings 'n' tights… what kind o' fairy-tales do you people tell in youer world?!"

"C'mon, lets go see Marcassin. We've got to figure out how to banish the wand and get everyone back home," Oliver stated, getting back on-topic.

"Yeah, especially before that Tobias creep gives us any more trouble," Puggsy muttered.

"How did you find out about Tobias?" Kim asked.

"We all learned the story a few days ago," Swaine replied, then muttered, "…God forbid this happens _every_ time we have a history lesson…"

"I never heard about it," Esther spoke up. "I just know everything from what Oliver, Biff, and Kim told me."

"It's a story we came across while we were helping out Cassiopeia last weekend," Oliver told her. "We learned that her father, the Wizard King, had banished Tobias's wand before imprisoning him."

"And, as it turns out, the damned thing can't be destroyed by anyone but Tobias himself," Swaine muttered, flexing the fingers on his still-sore hand. "What I want to know is, if Tobias has been dead as long as his legend, who could have-"

"Tobias isn't dead… we saw an image of him while we were trying to find Puggsy," Biff replied.

The thief's eyes widened. "What?! How is that possible?!" 

"I don't know… but he just appeared to us when we tried using the 'Foresee' spell," Oliver said, rubbing his head, remembering the image- especially those frightening, violet eyes. "It's like he wanted us to know he was still around…"

"Why? Don't most villains want to remain hidden, until it's too late for them to be stopped?" Puggsy questioned.

"Since no one even knows who he is, much less where, I doubt he's completely exposed himself," Swaine commented.

"But… if he was imprisoned over 10,000 years ago, how can he still be alive?" Esther questioned.

"Marcassin brought up something about him probably being immortal- and if that's the case, we're in a world of trouble," Puggsy replied.

"*grr* Immortal or not, he made a big mistake messing with THIS werewolf *grr* and his friends!" Fangface snarled, clawing at the air. "He'll be wishing he wasn't immortal once I get my paws on him! *snarl!*" he then paused. "…What does 'immortal' mean, by the way?"

"Save it for the battlefield, furball… And, word of advice, don't go around attacking people BEFORE you find out whether they're on your side or not!" Swaine told him.

Fangface gave him a look. "Ooh, ooh, you're the one who pulled a gun on me! *grr*"

"Swaine!" Esther gasped, appalled.

"H-He attacked Puggsy!" Swaine said in defense, then turned to Puggsy. "What was all that about, anyway? I thought you two were friends!"

"We are- the nit-wolf just forgets every time he transforms," Puggsy scoffed.

"Wit' an attitude like youers, I en't surprised…" Mr. Drippy commented, earning a glare from the teen.

"C'mon, everyone to the palace- you can all quarrel AFTER we settle things," Kim firmly advised.

Everyone began walking, Oliver and his friends leading the group through the streets until they reached the Porcine Palace; Biff, Kim, and Fangface were looking around, marveling at the industrial city as they walked. Once they reached the palace and entered, they were lead through the corridors towards the royal chambers.

Marcassin was in the middle of writing on a scroll, when he noticed everyone enter. "Oh, hello Oliver, Esther, Mr. Drippy- I didn't know you would be visiting so soon," the young sage replied, then noticed the newcomers. "…or that you would be bringing more guests!"

"These are Puggsy's friends- Oliver and Esther managed to find them for us," Swaine stated.

Marcassin gave a nod of greeting. "Welcome to the Porcine Palace. I am Marcassin, Emperor and Great Sage of Hamelin,"

"Willackers- an emperor!" Kim whispered.

Biff shook his hand. "I'm Biff- these are my friends, Kim and Fangface… and I see you've already met Puggsy," he stated. "Thanks for taking care of him,"

"Heh, glad someone finally shows some gratitude for our heroics," Swaine commented.

"(Gascon, hush). It was no trouble at all," Marcassin replied, after lightly scolding his brother. "However, I'm afraid you're all still in danger…"

"We know… That wicked wand brought us here, and now Tobias is trying to get it back!" Kim replied.

"So, I was right… Tobias has found a way to remain alive, all these centuries," Marcassin walked back over to the scroll, continuing to write. "I'm sending word to Queen Cassiopeia about it now- perhaps she can find the spell to banish the wand once again,"

"I figured it was a combination of 'Gateway' and 'Breach Time'," Oliver inquired. "Maybe we can do that- Biff and his friends can use 'Breach Time' to return to their own time-period and take the wand with, and then use Gateway to take it back to their world and send it somewhere safe,"

"That could work…" Marcassin rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "However…"

"Blimey, not a 'however'… What's wrong?" Swaine questioned.

Marcassin turned to Puggsy. "You said the moment you and your friends touched that wand, it brought you to our world. And Oliver, you said they were from another time?"

Oliver nodded. "Yeah. The year 1980, Biff said."

"This is puzzling… Why would it bring you to the past, instead of take you to our world set in your own time period?"

"The heck if we know." Puggsy scoffed, crossing his arms. "I just know that the sooner we send that wand away, the better! …Why can't we go with Oliver's plan?"

"Yeah, it sounds fool-proof," Swaine added.

"But the wand could bring you back to this world- maybe even take you far enough back in time before Tobias was imprisoned. Wands tend to grow powerful with age and use." Marcassin pointed out. 

"So if it was taken to a time when Tobias still had power, he'd be able to take over!" Esther gasped.

"Not quite… that would be a paradox. If it was taken to him before he was imprisoned, then it would contradict the timeline; the Wizard King never would have banished the wand, which means it would never have been found by our visitors here, and thus never brought to the past. It would cease to exist, and foil his plans."

"So, he had to have it be brought to a time _after_ he was imprisoned." Biff thought aloud. "But why 10,000 years?"

"Well, a lot had happened in those 10,000 years," Marcassin explained. "The Wizard King had died, and a corrupt council seized control of the kingdom which lead to its ruin; afterwards, Queen Cassiopeia, our friend, fell into despair and became the White Witch, and eventually gave power to the Dark Djinn, known as Shadar, who cast the world into despair- that is, until he was defeated and the White Witch was reformed, the world finally at peace."

"Maybe THAT'S why it brought us to this part of the past!" Kim realized. "With your world at peace and no one else causing mayhem, Tobias would be able to seize control for himself!"

Marcassin nodded. "Precisely what I was thinking, …Yet that means Tobias is preparing to break free. If he gets Serpens back…"

"Then we'll make sure he won't," Biff firmly stated. "We'll make sure he doesn't get his wand- and help banish it!"

"'Banishing' it won't be enough, mun. Didn't ye hear Marcassin? That blasted stick will probably just haul you lot back here!" Mr. Drippy stated.

"We need a way to remove its curse, then." Oliver agreed.

"Do you suppose some 'Curse-Be-Gone' would work?" Esther guessed.

"I don't think it will be enough. As powerful as the spell seemed to be…" Marcassin paused, looking over and arching an eyebrow. "Um… Might I ask what you are doing, Fangface?"

Everyone looked over. While the group was in the middle of their discussion, the werewolf had decided to browse around the room, looking around empty pots, in drawers, studying miniature statues, observing paintings, and just generally being curious.

…Though, his curiosity got the better of him, and his paw ended up stuck in a little jar full of colorful stones.

"Um… nothing!" Fangface sheepishly replied, giving an innocent smile while hiding the stuck jar behind his back.

Puggsy stormed over, forcing his hand out. "Good grief- we're in a crisis, and all you do is poke around!" he scolded.

"I can't help it! *grr* Werewolves happen to be curious! It's an instinct we can't fight!"

"Yeah, well, curiosity whacked the werewolf… or got his paw stuck." Puggsy began helping the werewolf pry his paw loose.

*Pop!*

The jar came off…

*Crash!*

Though slipped and shattered on the floor, little colorful marbles sliding all over. "Oops! *grr* Sorry, your highness!" Fangface apologized, quickly sweeping up the broken glass with a tiny broom and dust-pan he pulled from his hat. Puggsy picked up the marbles, grumbling under his breath.

Marcassin sighed. "Quite alright… they're just gems we give to our familiars," he replied, grabbing a glass bowl for Puggsy to put the stones in.

Swaine rubbed his face. "I agree with Oliver- let's un-hex that wand, just so these guys don't keep coming back," he muttered.

"Swaine, be nice!" Esther scolded.

Biff was rubbing his chin, deep in thought. "I just realized something… Oliver, you said that 'Breach Time' can only be used once, right?" he asked.

"That's right. Why do you ask?" Oliver replied.

"In that story we heard, the man who dropped off the wand ended up disappearing- maybe returning to this world. Do you think he might be around? If he came from the past, he probably remained in the future and just used… Gateway, was it? The man who told us the story said he had received the wand a while back…"

"Ah, I see what youe're thinkin'! Whoever was sent to drop off th' wand might be lingering round!" Mr. Drippy stated.

"But… the Wizard King had been the one who banished it. Unless he sent someone through time to drop off the wand, and they used 'Breach Time' themselves to return to their time." Marcassin pointed out. "If someone went to the future and remained there, it might have drastic results in the timeline…"

"Or… they'd end up dying," Oliver replied, a solemn expression on his face.

Swaine rubbed the back of his neck. Oliver's mother, the Great Sage Alicia, had travelled to the future in her plan to have Oliver be born as Shadar's soul-mate… which caused her to break her link with her soul-mate and giving her a weak-heart.

Best to distract from THAT sad memory. "Well, I doubt the Wizard King was one to just have his men die doing an errand, so either whoever he sent in time managed to return back, or he might have used a different ritual in banishing the wand." Swaine stated.

A clock on the wall chimed, showing that it was growing late into the night. "We will go to the Ivory Tower and seek answers, next time we visit with Cassiopeia." Marcassin stated. "For now, we should get some rest. It has been a long day for us all,"

"That, I can agree on…" Puggsy said, stretching his back. "…I'll probably sleep for weeks after the day I've had,"

Marcassin lead everyone out to the corridors, towards a hallway with a stairway. "You're all welcome to sleep in our guest chambers on the second floor,"

"…can't they book a hotel room?" Swaine whispered, earning a look from his brother.

"Thank you, your majesty," Kim replied, as they walked up the stairs with the emperor.

"Must you always be such a pill?" Esther scolded Swaine, as they stayed at the bottom of the stairs with Oliver and Mr. Drippy. "A few strangers from another world and time are in need of our help, and you act like they insulted your whole family!"

"Lay off, I had to buy supplies for a smart-mouthed shrimp, and in turn got attacked by his fanged friend! And did I mention Marcassin and I had to save him from a three-headed monster? It's not exactly part of our routine!" Swaine remarked.

"Eh, I have to say, th' short guy is a bit o' a loudmouth, an' One-Fang is a bit high-strung... Unless they manage to keep their wits 'bout themselves, we may be doin' a lot o' rescuin'!" Mr. Drippy agreed, somewhat.

Oliver looked up the stairs, thinking for a moment. "They do need help… Why don't we all teach them how to defend themselves?" he suggested. "I can teach Biff more spells, Esther can help Kim and Fangs with their familiars… We can all show them how to fight and grow stronger!"

Mr. Drippy grinned. "Ye read my mind, Ollie-Boy! …Have to admit, I do miss bein' a mentor to wizards-in-training."

"Yes, we can show them everything we know!" Esther agreed in excitement. "…Maybe one of them is a musician, too, and I can teach them some of my song-spells!"

"Yeah, well, have fun with that." Swaine scoffed, leaning against the wall. "I've already helped that pipsqueak enough as it is. I have nothing to teach him,"

"Well… why don't you let someone borrow one of your old guns? Kim and Fangs don't have magicka- Puggsy might not either- so they'll need some other weapon to use," Oliver suggested.

"Oh, c'mon! I already bought the half-pint a sword! And there's no way I'm going to trust some stranger with a gun,"

"Why not? We trusted you with your gun after we first met you," Esther shot back. "And keep in mind, you were a pretty shady character- I'm still actually suspicious of you!"

Swaine gave her a look, then grinned. "You sure you just don't have an obsession with me?"

Esther blushed, crossing her arms. "More like I can't believe anything you say!"

"There are other things you can teach them too," Oliver told Swaine, breaking up the quarrel. "You can show them how 'All Out Attack/Defense' works, and show them how to assemble their own weapons-"

"Just as long as youe're not teachin' th' lot how to pick pockets, they'll be fine." Mr. Drippy quipped.

Swaine sighed, crossing his arms. "Alright, I'll give a couple pointers- but once they get the hang of it, they're on their own! I think we're doing enough just trying to get rid of that damned wand and stop Tobias,"

"Hmph. See if we ever come to you for help," Esther huffed, walking up the stairs.

"Let's get some rest. We can start training them in the morning," Oliver stated, following Esther up.

"Tidy- can't wait to get back to coaching!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed, heading up next.

Swaine shook his head, walking to his own room while rubbing the back of his neck. "This should be fun…" he muttered sarcastically.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

" _What makes you think you can rebuild a kingdom? All you know how to do is destroy it!"_

" _Do you honestly believe you can change your ways?"_

" _You spent thousands of years living in darkness, don't think you can leave it behind so quickly…"_

" _You cannot deny your true identity…"_

" _The White Witch shall be reborn!"_

"Augh!"

Cassiopeia sat up in bed, hyperventilating. She looked around, realizing she was still in her bedroom, and let out a deep breath, resting a hand on her bosom to help steady her racing heart. _Just a nightmare…_ she assured herself.

It wasn't the first time she had a nightmare about hearing the Zodiarch's voices taunting her in her slumber. She used to have them every other night, until she began receiving help from her friends in rebuilding Nazcaa. It had been two weeks since her last one… though no matter how many times she assured herself it was just a bad dream and the past was behind her, it still unnerved her to be hearing their voices in her head.

As if somewhere in her subconscious they were trying to regain control…

 _No, that is not going to happen!_ She scolded herself, climbing out of bed and deciding to go to the kitchen for a comfort-snack. _I have friends now, who will help me… and I plan on doing the same for them, whenever they need it! I'm doing the best I can to make peace with this world… I don't plan to foul up after coming this far!_

She walked through an empty ballroom just then; noticing how vast it was, it made her feel alone, surrounded by silence. How she longed for the day when she could hold grand parties, take part in ballroom dancing, hear music fill the halls and socialize with patrons from around the world!

But she had a long way to go; she was still trying to convince other rulers that she had changed her ways. Marcassin and Swaine were the only ones who were giving her a chance so far, but that was mainly due to the fact that they had witnessed her reformation with the others. Unless they managed to put in a good word for her, she wouldn't be having many audiences with other leaders.

 _I have to keep trying...I will not give up until I have made things right with everyone!_ Cassiopeia told herself, determination welling up inside her.

' _Do not bother. No one will trust someone who tried to destroy the world!'_ echoed a voice of a Zodiarch, from the back of her mind.

' _It was better that the world feared you… Give them reason to be afraid, and submit to your power!'_ echoed another.

Cassiopeia winced, rubbing her head and picking up her pace, hurrying down the hall. Perhaps she could find Horace, and seek counsel from him about her fear.

' _You cannot run from your fears. You WILL return to the White Witch once again!'_

' _You know nothing of ruling a kingdom properly- you didn't even know everyone was in trouble until you made things worse!'_

' _You ruined their lives!'_

' _You failed your last subjects, and you shall fail the ones you gain!'_

' _If anyone ever trusts to live under your rule…'_

' _Who wants to be ruled by one who knows no experience but that which induces suffering?'_

"S-Stop!" Cassiopeia finally yelled, tired of the negative feelings swirling through her mind. Overwhelmed with anxiety, she ran out onto a balcony, taking in deep breaths of air. "I won't give in… I've left that life behind me… I will not give up!"

" _You might as well… the world you've grown to love will be destroyed soon, anyway!"_

The witch queen froze, hearing all the Zodiarch voices speaking at once…

Yet, they weren't coming inside her head…

Now that she thought about it, they could never 'echo' in her mind. They sounded like…

…they were standing right behind her!


	13. Getting Equipped

It was a quarter after midnight when Esther was frightened from her sleep; sitting up gasping, she looked around, seeing that she was still in a guest bedroom at the Porcine Palace. _What a horrible nightmare…_ she thought, rubbing her head as she leaned back onto her pillows.

The vision had been about her running through the halls of the Ivory Tower, hearing demonic voices- and she had a goal in reaching Cassiopeia and warning her about some sort of threat; the most baffling and frightening part about her nightmare was she did not know what exactly the threat was, nor where to find Cassiopeia.

At the moment, she wondered if perhaps the nightmare was a warning itself…

Sighing, she knew she wouldn't be able to resume sleep, and decided to take a walk down to the indoor fountains. Sitting by the miniature garden and indoor creeks would definitely help her relax. Ten minutes in the area would be enough- though she would have to keep quiet.

Upon exiting her room, she noticed someone else was walking out of their room- it was easy to recognize them by their furry figure. "Fangface? What are you still doing awake?" she asked in a hushed tone.

"Ooh, ooh, I'm just looking for something," Fangface replied, sniffing around. "I didn't wake you, did I? *grr*"

"No, no… I woke up from a nightmare," Esther watched him walk on all fours; she noted that alongside his humanistic qualities, he also acted animalistic. She knew grimalkins had cat-like mannerisms, though they still acted like proper humans; the werewolf seemed to act more animal than human. "What are you looking for?"

"*grr* I'm looking for this winged cat that was following me around. I just realized it's been missing since our crash-landing… Did it come in with you guys?"

"You mean Eclipse? You summoned him into your heart! Don't you remember?"

"Huh? *grr* What are you talking about? What do you mean I summoned him into my heart?"

Esther pondered a beat. _So he doesn't remember anything from when he was human… This is going to be hard to explain._ She thought.

"Here, tap your chest, and just think of him," Esther replied, then demonstrated by summoning her own familiar, Gogo. "Like this."

"Ooh, ooh! That's a neat trick! *grr* Okay, I'll try," Fangface said, tail wagging in amazement. He tapped his chest, thinking about the Dualynx, and his familiar appeared before him. "WOW! THAT'S AMAZING!"

"Shhh!" Esther shushed, looking around. "You don't want to wake everyone, do you?"

Fangface covered his mouth. "…sorry. I just never knew the cat was with me the whole time… What did you say its name was? Eclipse?"

Esther nodded. "Yes. He's your familiar now. You can summon him to fight in battles- or even use his healing powers to help you or your friends,"

"Really? He can do that?"

"Yes- familiars have all sorts of special powers."

Fangface rubbed his chin, while Eclipse observed Gogo curiously, rolling on the floor and seeing of the Strongo wanted to play. "That would explain why a few monsters managed to beat me pretty bad, *grr*" he then cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not that it was any trouble for me! *grr* I could have beat them easily!"

Eclipse looked up at him. "Meow!" he responded- almost sounding like a scoff.

Fangface gave his familiar a look. "That doesn't count, there was another monster distracting me! *grr* You just got a few lucky hits in!"

"Meow, meow."

"Hey, I could have beaten her even if Khulan didn't come along!"

"Meow,"

"Could too!"

"Fangface, hush!" Esther whispered… deciding she could be fascinated by the fact that the werewolf could communicate with his familiar without use of a 'Nature's Tongue' spell, later. "Why don't you head back to bed, now that you've found Eclipse? …To summon him back, just tap your chest again."

"Right- maybe he'll give me less attitude after a good night's sleep," Fangface tapped his chest, calling back Eclipse. He began walking back to his room, but paused. "You said you had a nightmare… What was it about, exactly? *grr*"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well… I had one too- these monsters were in this cave… One of them was the one I fought earlier. They were all talking about bargaining or something. One of them looked like a cat- which is when I woke up and remembered Eclipse was missing and I decided to look around for him… Was your nightmare something like that?"

Esther pondered this. "No… I just dreamt I had to warn another friend about something- but I don't know what," she sighed, rubbing her arms. "…Now I'm worried."

Fangface patted her on the shoulder. "*grr* Don't worry, Esther. If your friend needs help, my friends and I will lend a hand- or paw, *chk, chk, chk*. Better try and get some sleep, though- no use staying up late worrying, if it'll keep you from fighting later on,"

"That's true… Goodnight, Fangface."

"'Night- thanks for helping me find my cat!" with that, the werewolf went back to his room, and the familiar tamer went back to hers.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"… _now that we have our bargain, our plan shall be executed. With the Witch Queen in our possession, we ransom her in exchange for the wand,"_

" _Yes- the Pure-Hearted One would not allow a friend to perish over Serpens,"_

" _Perhaps he'd even believe he and his friends can defeat Tobias, no matter how powerful he becomes,"_

" _He shall learn otherwise… How is our little 'guest' doing?"_

" _She still believes she is being haunted by Zodiarchs. For one so powerful, she is so easy to break…"_

" _And the rest shall follow- come, the master wants us to prepare for our next… 'rendezvous',"_

" _When will they arrive at the Ivory Tower? Suppose they take too long…"_

" _Ha ha, the longer they take… the more mental torture the witch must endure. Let them take their time,"_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The sound of metallic gears whirring, pipes rattling, and steam hissing was what woke Puggsy early the next morning. Very, VERY early- unless the clock on his wall was running slow and it wasn't really 5:30 AM.

 _Who the heck can sleep with all this ruckus?!_ He thought with a groan, pulling the pillow over his head to drain out the sounds. It did no good, as upon remembering he was in a foreign world, he couldn't relax enough to drift off. Hell, it was astonishing he managed to get to sleep at all last night.

He walked out of his room, bringing his sword with- thinking about exchanging it for a more suitable weapon at that 'Cawtermaster' shop later- and deciding to take a walk through the industrialized city while he waited for the others to wake up.

With it being so early in the morning, he figured the streets wouldn't be too crowded and he'd have some solitude…

"Oi, lad! Where do ye think youe're goin'?"

"Wah! What the…?!" Puggsy gasped, giving a jolt when Mr. Drippy came hopping beside him. "Jumping ignorpotomases, don't do that! What're you trying to do, give me a heart-attack?! …What are you doing awake at this hour, anyhow?"

"Ha! Bout to ask ye th' same thing, I was! We fairies hardly sleep, mun! Jus' two houers o' rest, an' we're good to go! I was jus' walkin' round th' halls when I noticed ya headin' for th' front doors,"

"Yeah, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to take a walk…" Puggsy continued walking… seeing Mr. Drippy was still following him. He paused, giving him a look. "Any reason why you're following me?"

"It en't wise to wander 'round an unfamiliar city alone, Pugs! 'Specially wit' those beasties out an' about,"

"I'll stay in the city. Besides, I walk around on my own all the time, whenever we're travelling,"

Mr. Drippy crossed his arms. "No wonder ye landed youerself in trouble. Hate to make ye face th' hard truth, Pugs, but ye en't in youer world anymore- 'round here, ye have to have someone wit' ya no matter where ye go; unless ye master magic or have enough experience in combat, goin' it alone will only send ye to one place: an open grave!"

Puggsy crossed his arms. "…Since when is walking through a well-enclosed city filled with guards considered dangerous?"

"Don't get smart wit' me, mun- ye never know what those monsters are capable of!"

"He does have a point…" came a voice, and they turned to see Marcassin walking down the hall.

"Oh- 'scusify us, your majesty. Didn't mean to wake ya," Puggsy responded.

"Quite alright- I have been awake for a while. I'm always awake before dawn, in order to accomplish a few tasks. I decided to check on the kingdom's security, in order to make sure none of these monsters you and your friends have encountered managed to find a way in," The sage turned to Drippy. "And I can assure you, Mr. Drippy, it is safe for Puggsy to take a walk inside the kingdom. There have been no signs of trouble,"

Mr. Drippy shrugged. "If ye say so, youer highness. Tidy, then, I guess I'll see if Ollie-Boy is up yet!" he stated, then walked down the hall; he paused, turning and giving Puggsy a wave. "But if ye need help wit' anything, just give a holler- Ol' Drippy always has a trick or two to teach, like!"

Puggsy feigned a smile, giving a short wave. "I sure will!" he replied in enthusiasm; once the fairy was out of sight, he grimaced and walked towards the door. "…when hell freezes over," he then noticed Marcassin was walking alongside him now. "I thought you said it was safe for me to take a walk?"

"I did- because I plan on walking with you. Pardon my caution, but I can't trust a stranger to wander my city alone- especially in case one of those monsters managed to find a way inside," Marcassin replied. "I planned on checking with the grunts on patrol this morning, considering the circumstances,"

"(…I knew there had to be a catch…) Alright, fine. But considerating I don't know anything about this world, I don't see any reason for you to distrust me. I mean, I know I'm a tough guy, but don't take me as a threat so quick,"

"Oh, I don't take you as a threat. I just don't want you to cause trouble,"

Puggsy gave him a look. "Very funny… Any chance I can trade this sword in for something else? If I'm going to be fighting, I want to have something I know how to handle,"

Marcassin thought for a moment. "Have you've thought about forming a familiar?"

The teen arched an eyebrow. "Doing what?"

"Forming a familiar." Marcassin tapped his chest, summoning his Relixx, Joules. "Such as this,"

Puggsy gave a slight jolt. "Whoa! What the… how the…?! What is that?!"

"My familiar. I formed him when I was a child and mastered the 'Form Familiar' spell. Having a familiar is quite useful in combat, and can aid you in any situation," The sage held up his wand. "If you don't have magicka, I can form one from your heart for you,"

"Hold it!" Puggsy crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you mean form it from my heart?! What kind of demented witchcraft do you guys use around here?!"

"Do not be alarmed, it is a harmless spell. It conjures a warrior, made up from the inner strength of your soul."

"…I don't think I want a piece of my soul pried out and shaped into some sort of creature…"

"It's not like that, exactly. It's more like (oh, how should I put it?)… Creating a companion from inside your own heart- your soul remains intact, as well as gaining strength from the familiar it helps form."

"Still doesn't sound any less bizarre…" he looked at the Relixx as it observed him. "You sure there aren't any consequences?"

"Only that, in battle, any damage your familiar takes also reflects on you- since it is a part of you, you both share stamina. But the stronger you become, the better it can hold up in combat,"

"And the whole 'sharing' thing is permanent?"

"Only until you trade it to someone else, or drop it off at a Familiar Retreat. Most of the creatures in this world are wild familiars- that is, they have no one to bond with, until they are tamed. The stronger the bond, the better they do in combat and obeying commands,"

Puggsy considered this. To him, the whole thing was still crazy- like having a pet that you shared a life-force with. Then again, if it proved to be a burden, he could just drop it off with someone else and not worry about the sake of his soul. "…Alright, I'll give it a try. But if it doesn't work out, you can have it."

"Fair enough. Now then, hold still," Marcassin stated, waving Mornstar and casting the 'Form Familiar' spell on Puggsy.

Puggsy gasped as a light formed in his chest. "Yikes! I changed my mind! Stop!"

"It's too late. It's already in progress- look, it's taking shape!"

Puggsy watched as the orb of light expanded in front of him; a shape began to take the form of what looked to him to be a small dinosaur with long, muscular arms and a horn on its head. Once it was fully formed, it landed on its feet, gave a snort, and took in its new surroundings.

"O-kay… what is that thing, and should I worry about my heart-condition?" Puggsy responded, watching as his familiar glared at Marcassin's Relixx.

"It's a Dinocerous- quite an uncommon type of familiar, they are not often seen in many places," Marcassin observed, summoning his familiar back before the Dinocerous could swat at it. He noticed Puggsy feeling his heart-beat. "…And you're alright, Puggsy. Actually, as strong a familiar you have, you'll have twice the strength as you did, before. Care for him well, and he'll be quite the fighter," He went to pat the familiar on the head, but it grunted at him and retreated to Puggsy's side.

Puggsy only looked at his familiar, still a bit stunned. "Er, alright… so how do I make him shrink back into my chest, like what you did?"

"Well, first you'll have to give him a name to call him by,"

Puggsy arched an eyebrow. "What the heck am I supposed to name a dinosaurus? Sparky?!"

The Dinocerous butted him with its horn.

"Ow! Watch it, or your name's Fluffy!" It gave him another head-butt to the side. "Ouch! Alright, alright, how about 'Rex'? Does 'Rex' sound better?!"

The dinocerous gave a grunt, nodding in approval.

"…figured he'd like that name. Alright, 'Rex', um… how do I make him shrink?"

"Just tap your chest and mentally summon him back." Marcassin advised.

Puggsy nodded, doing just that, and his familiar retreated into his chest, giving off a warm feeling. He then let out a heavy sigh. "Alright… there's another reason for a therapy visit after this…" they continued on their way out. "So I just whip him out whenever I'm caught in a fight?"

"Yes… but you can only have him fight for so long. When familiars are in an early stage, they have a limited amount of stamina- the longer they fight, the quicker it runs out. If you start to suddenly feel tired while they are fighting, it means their stamina is low, and you will have to summon them back- otherwise, both of you will pass out,"

Puggsy gawked. "And you couldn't have told me that first?!"

"Do not worry. The more experience he gains, the longer his stamina holds out. …But, until then, you will have to find a way to defend yourself," he looked at Puggsy's sword. "You say you do not work with swords often… What kind of weapons do you know how to use?"

"I was actually hoping for a gun- but your brother wouldn't give me one unless I was attacked by a creature… probably ate his words when Fangface tackled me, yesterday."

Marcassin gave him a shocked look. "Your wolf-friend attacked you? For what reason?"

Puggsy shrugged. "Beats me! Every time he transforms, he has this sudden urge to harass me- up until the nitwolf remembers we're friends and lays off,"

 _I think I can imagine the reason,_ Marcassin thought. He then noticed they were now entering the main street of Hamelin. "Well, I'm sure we can find the right weapon for you- if not, I will try to persuade Gascon into letting you borrow one of his firearms,"

"God willing," Puggsy muttered under his breath. He felt his chest again, thinking about how he had a creature within to use in battle… though decided not to bring it out unless the situation was critical.

Not that it wasn't already, he believed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

By 7 AM, the others were awake. Biff, Kim, and Fangface met Esther, Oliver, and Drippy out in the hall, walking down the corridor and deciding to get some breakfast. "I thought we'd all be sleeping in, after the rough day we had," Kim stated, stifling a yawn.

"It's probably a late morning in our world," Oliver chuckled. "All the continents around here are in different time-zones. I remember when I returned to Motorville from Perdida late in the afternoon, and found out it was 2 AM in my time-zone!"

"Gosh, talk about being jet-lagged," Biff commented. "And you come here often? How do you manage it?"

"It wasn't easy- I had to write down all the time-differences between all the lands and compare them to Motorville time. I tried wearing a watch, but it ended up stopping on me, so I thought it was still 3 o'clock, and ended up being three hours late for dinner!"

"Wow, I bet your mom was worried. Does she know about this world?"

Oliver paused, his expression solemn, and Biff felt as if he said something wrong. "She knew about this world- she actually lived in it most of her life as a Great Sage. …I'll tell you all about it, later." He gave a smile, trying to cover up a feeling of sorrow. "Right now, we have to work on training you guys!"

"Yes, we're going to show you all everything you need to know to defend yourselves!" Esther added.

"Ooh, ooh, I can't wait! Let's go now!" Fangface exclaimed, running ahead.

Drippy hopped in the werewolf's path, making him stop. "Hold youer horses, wolf-boy! Ye can't just race on out before ye get some input on what you'll be dealing with! Besides that, we haven't even had breakfast yet! Can't fight on an empty stomach, like." He explained.

"We should wait for Puggsy, too. He must be sleeping in late, after the ordeal he had yesterday," Biff added.

"Swaine might be sleeping in, too." Esther added, crossing her arms. "Which isn't much of a-"

"Surprise?!" Swaine finished, having snuck up behind the familiar-tamer.

"Eek!" Esther gave a jolt, turning around and clenching her fists. "SWAINE! You… you… you pain! Don't do that!"

"Don't talk about me behind my back, and I won't creep up behind yours,"

"Hmph. It's rare to see you up so early. Normally we have to drag you out of bed before noon,"

Swaine rolled his eyes. "Yes, well, that's only when we've been travelling for days on-end and I'm exhausted. …Here, I get up early in order to help with kingdom matters. Time doesn't wait when it comes to responsibilities,"

"Since when were you ever responsible?"

Swaine turned to the others, deciding to ignore Esther's comment (for the time being). "By the way, have any of you seen Marcassin? I can't find him anywhere,"

"Last I saw him, he was in th' front hall wit' Pugs." Drippy replied. "Th' teen wanted to take a stroll 'round th' city, so my guess is Marcassin might be checkin' up on him."

"Let's go into the city, then," Oliver suggested. "We can meet up with them… and maybe find you guys some weapons you can use,"

"Yes! We can also find gear for your familiars, too!" Esther added.

"Familiars…? Oh, yeah, those creatures that come out of your chest!" Biff recalled.

Oliver looked at Biff. "Why don't we form one for you after breakfast, Biff? You'll need one if you're going to be fighting," he stated.

"Form one?"

"Yes- there's a spell that forms a familiar based on your heart. That's how I got mine,"

"Okay, I'll give it a shot." They walked out of the palace and down the street. "So, what kind of gear do they need?"

"It often depends on the creature." Esther answered first. "Some use swords and axes, others prefer claws and fangs… They let you know once you've formed a bond with them,"

"You think I should get a weapon? *grr*" Fangface asked. "I mean, not that I need one, but if some of these monsters are armed, I want to make sure I'm maxed out!"

"Then you'd better train hard," Swaine told him. "And keep your wits sharp… if you have any,"

"Yeah, yeah, if I have any! …huh?"

Esther gave Swaine a glare. "Did you really have to insult him?!"

Swaine was about to reply, but someone beat him to it. "Yeah- that's normally MY job,"

"Pugs! *grr* There you are!" Fangface exclaimed, running up to his friend. "Where've you been?"

"I was with Marcassin- he's checking with a few grunts for status reports, so I decided to come back." He felt his chest again. "He helped me form a… thing from my heart too."

"You have a familiar now, too?" Kim gasped. "What does it look like?"

"Um… like this," Puggsy tapped his chest, summoning Rex.

"WHOA! Your familiar is awesome!" Fangface exclaimed, then crossed his arms in a pout. "…all I got was a cat with wings."

Puggsy arched an eyebrow. "You mean you guys formed these things, too?!"

"Well… not really," Kim said, summoning Mavis, who perched on her arm. "They pretty much just followed us. Mavis helped me get out of a tough situation,"

"Ooh, ooh, better than mine… I had to fight him first!" Fangface huffed. "I've still got scratch-marks all over!"

"What was it like 'forming' a familiar?" Biff asked Puggsy.

"Weird." Puggsy bluntly replied. "Not only that, but if this thing dies in battle, I go down with it!" he looked at Rex. "…You'd better have one hell of a defense,"

Rex snorted, butting his horn into Puggsy's side in offense.

"Ow! …Cut that out!"

"Now you know what I had to put up with." Fangface huffed.

"You two need to be careful how you treat your familiars," Esther told them. "If bitter feelings fall between you, they'll lose compatibility with you, and it will be harder to control them in battle."

"That does make sense," Kim agreed, stroking Mavis under the chin. "It's no different than taking care of a pet- be nice to them, and they'll get along with you,"

"It will also help to get them gear and treats," Oliver said, turning to Puggsy. "We planned on going to the weapon shop to get some gear,"

"Heh, good luck. I couldn't find the right weapon for me in there," He held up his sword, looking at Swaine. "So, unless you want to teach me some swordsmanship, I'd like a gun."

Swaine crossed his arms. "You picked the sword, you can stick with it. Better get practicing," he replied.

Fangface looked at the sword in awe. "Wow! You got a sword? *grr* I want one, too! Can I get a sword too, Pugs? Huh? Huh? Can I? *grr*" he asked in excitement.

Puggsy gave him a deadpanned look. "Fat chance. The last thing I need is getting impaled by some nitwolf,"

Fangface gave him a glare. "What's that supposed to mean?! *grr* I'd be better at handling a sword than you do!"

"Let's just head to the shop," Biff sighed, breaking up the arguing. "We can find the right weapons for each of us, and double-check if they have something for Puggsy."

"You guys can go ahead- I'm going to head back in and see if I can get some extra sleep," Puggsy replied, rubbing his face. "…don't see how anyone can sleep with engine sounds echoing all over…"

The group watched him go back into the palace with Rex following, before heading down the street. "Is he always this moody?" Esther asked.

"Only in the mornings. …And afternoons." Fangface replied, shrugging. "Sometimes late at night."

"Don't worry. Once you get to know him, he's a really nice guy," Kim assured, watching as Mavis flew beside her.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Swaine commented, then turned and walked down another street. "I'm going to go find Marcassin. See you lot at breakfast,"

Esther shook her head, looking at Kim. "I wish I could say the same about Swaine," she said.

"I heard that!"

Esther rolled her eyes, and they continued walking.

Once the group went up the stairs that led to the shops, Swaine peeked back around the corner, and headed back to the palace. "The hell if I leave that loudmouth alone here," he muttered to himself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once inside the shop, Biff and Kim were slightly stunned to see a humanoid raven behind the desk… though after what they had seen so far, they were getting used to such surprises. Fangface, in the meantime, immediately started looking around at all the axes, spears, swords, and hammers that were on display.

"Ah, more cawstumors! Didn't think we'd get so many this early in the morning!" the Cawtermaster said with glee. He looked at Oliver. "Ah, if it isn't the Pure-Hearted One. Are these folks friends of yours? I don't think I've seen faces like theirs, before." He looked over at Fangface. "…Definitely not that one's!"

"They're new to these parts, mun. 'Need to equip 'em right, we do!" Mr. Drippy stated. "Got anythin' good in stock?"

"Have a look around! But be cawful- ye can look, but no using any weapons inside the store."

Biff looked around. Being more of a pacifist, he never considered using weapons before; plus, with magic now, he didn't think he would need one… But, he didn't want to take chances. Oliver and Esther had brought up 'running out of magicka', and he had to be prepared in case the same happened to him.

Finding a dagger, he decided to start with that. "You think this will be enough?" he asked Oliver. "I know I have magicka, but I want to have a good weapon."

"It depends on what kind of weapon you can handle," Oliver replied. "I never bought one for myself- just my familiars." He looked over at a display that was full of badges- guaranteed to boost evasion, strength, courage, agility, and wisdom. "I've also bought some of these for my friends and I. You can only wear one at a time, so it depends on what you'd like to increase."

Biff looked at the badges. "They seem pretty pricy…"

"Don't worry, you'll be earning guilders after every battle." Drippy said. "Enemies drop 'em every time they're defeated- consider it spoils o' war,"

"I see…" Biff held up the knife. It didn't cost too much, only 20 guilders. "I think I'll start out with this for now," he looked over at Kim. "Did you find anything, Kim?"

"I'm still looking…" Kim said, unsure of herself. Mavis was looking at different cloaks, claws, and rings that caught her interest, making the teenager relieved that her familiar knew what to get. "Maybe I'll just buy something for Mavis… I don't think I'll be battling,"

"You can't really depend on Mavis to fight all the time," Esther told Kim. "You both share stamina now- and until Mavis gets some experience, hers will run out quick if the battle is long"

"Yeah, but… I've never fought before! I don't even know how to use a gun," Kim rubbed her arms. "The thought of it makes me squeamish…"

Esther patted her on the back. "I felt the same way… Actually, I only use my harp in battle- mostly to heal my friends. After helping Oliver on his journey, though, I decided to get a wand and practice battle-based spells. But I will always use my harp- it's my choice of equipment,"

Kim sighed. "Wish I had magicka to heal my friends…"

"Well, it depends on what you're good with. I'm more good with my harp than a wand- is there something you're good with?"

Kim pondered this, browsing the shelves… then noticed something propped up in a far corner. "I'm good with archery," she stated, picking up the bow. "I used to do it all the time at summer camp as a kid. It's been a while, though."

"I bet you're still good," Biff assured her, walking over. "It's like riding a bike- you never forget,"

"I've never seen anyone use archery, before. Give it a try, Kim!" Esther coaxed.

Kim nodded. "Alright, I'll take a bow," she looked over at Mavis… who was eyeing a ring with longing. "Hee hee, and a ring for Mavis."

"What about you, Fangface?" Oliver asked, looking over at the werewolf, who was looking around at the swords. "See something you want?"

"*grr* I'm trying to find a sword like the one Puggsy had." Fangface replied, picking up a sheathed sword. He cringed. "…And for some reason, every time I pick up one of these swords, I feel weak." He scratched his head, putting it back. "…Which is weird, since I can carry any kind of sword back home,"

"It means th' swords will lower youer attack, mun." Drippy told him. "Weapons 'round here are different than th' weapons in youer world. Ye gotta find one that gives ye a boost o' strength! It doesn't matter how big or shiny they are, but how strong they make ya feel, and how good they can defend ya!"

Kim and Biff looked at their choice of weapons. They didn't realize they felt a little bit stronger.

"Oi, if it's a strong sword you're looking for, you're going to have to wait until I can forge a new Double-Edged Excalibur," the Cawtermaster. "It's a rare sword… so rare, we've only been able to make one. The ingredients are hard to come by, and it can only be made in the light of a full moon. …Don't ask me why, it's just what the formula said."

"How powerful is it?" Oliver asked, intrigued.

"Mighty powerful. Felt like I had the strength of ten dragons when I picked it up! Put a hefty price on it, too- though I must've been raven-mad to sell it at all, haw haw."

"Wow. Whoever bought that sword must feel really powerful right now,"

The Cawtermaster scoffed. "That's what I thought, too…"

"What do you mean?" Kim asked.

"I sold that sword yesterday- and the little runt who had it came back in this morning, wanting something different! Can you believe such a thing? 'Bet Swaine would go into cawniptions if he found out, since he had to buy it for the rotter." He looked at all the equipment everyone had bought. "Now then, what else can I help you find?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Puggsy sat in his room, looking at the sword on the bed. He would have just traded it for something else… but 1) he couldn't find anything else, and 2) every time he held the sword, he felt stronger- like he could beat Fangface in a wrestling match!

But, there was no use in having a weapon that gave you a boost of strength, if he didn't know how to use it. And that's what pissed him off most.

Rex was looking at the sword as well- his expression stern, but with longing in his eyes. It was as if he was mirroring his master's emotions.

"You want it?" Puggsy asked his familiar.

Rex looked at the sword, then tried to pick it up… but with his thick hands, his grip was awkward, and he ended up setting it down. He then shook his head.

"…Yeah, I don't know how to use it, neither." He made a fist with his hand, holding it up. "I'm more used to using my fists than anything. Unless this world has some brass knuckles, I ain't got much to work with,"

Rex raised his own fists, pounding them together and letting out a snort.

"Heh, outside of you, that is. …What do you think, boy? You think we can survive without weapons, or should we try snagging a gun off Swaine?"

"Fat chance,"

Puggsy gave a jolt, turning and seeing Swaine standing in the doorway. "…How long were you standing there?!"

"Long enough. So, you think I chose the wrong weapon for you, huh?"

"I don't think- I know. How'd you like it if someone bought you a weapon you didn't know how to use?"

"Fair point… But I'm not handing over a gun- for all I know, you won't be able to handle it, either."

Puggsy gave him a glare. "Yeah?! Give me a gun, and I'll prove it to ya!"

"Prove it, huh? Hmm…" Swaine began to ponder. Then he smirked. "That gives me an idea for a bargain…"

Puggsy arched an eyebrow, and Rex growled in suspicion. "What kind of bargain?"

"Simple. Beat me in a fight, and I'll hand over one of my guns. …But if I beat you, you have to assemble your own. …Take the offer, or save yourself the humiliation. Your choice."

Puggsy clenched his fists, then smirked. "Deal."


	14. Field Training

"So, where can I find a wand?" Biff asked as the group walked down the street, heading back to the Porcine Palace to get some breakfast in before deciding to practice. It was then Biff realized, in order to fight with magic, he would need a wand.

"Well, wands are hard to come by- people pretty much tossed 'em out when Shadar started his reign o' terror," Mr. Drippy stated. "Might be a while 'til a Wandsmith opens up shop, since all th' forgers took on new careers back then."

"I can lend you one of my old ones," Oliver suggested, digging through his bottomless bag as they walked back into Hamelin. "I still have the wand King Tom gave to me,"

"Marcassin may even have one you can borrow," Esther added, then held up the wand she was using. "He lent me his imperial scepter after Oliver gave him Mornstar. He may have another wand for you,"

"Sure, but he can't rely on hand-me-downs forever, you two." Mr. Drippy told both kids. "You see, th' more a wand is used, th' more worn-out it becomes. Remember that stick ye first used, Oliver? Th' runes on it were so faded, it was a miracle we got 3 spells out o' it! Point is, th' more owners one wand has, th' less powerful it'll become wit' every passing,"

"So, I shouldn't give Biff a wand?" Oliver asked.

"Oi, ye can! I'm jus' sayin' it might not have too much power to it," the fairy looked at Biff. "Don't worry 'bout it though, mun; chances are, Marcassin may have a few powerful wands in storage that are just waitin' to be used-"

"Not quite," came a response. They turned to see Marcassin walking over to them. "Mornstar is the newest wand I have ever acquired."

"Wha-?! But didn't ye change wands since ye were a kid?! I thought royal sages always had spare wands on-hand!"

"That was back before magic became scarce." Marcassin turned to Esther, motioning to the imperial scepter. "The scepter I have given Esther had belonged to my father. The wand I had used before it belonged to my mother. Those were the last custom-wands created in the dynasty before the use of magicka decreased,"

"So… we're the only ones who own wands?"Oliver questioned, taking this into consideration. "And if we pass them on to anyone else, that would decrease their power…"

"What if we just made a new wand ourselves? *grr*" Fangface suggested. "It's not too hard, is it?"

Mr. Drippy turned and looked at Fangface. "Crikey- an' here I thought ye were an idiot! Nice thinkin', Fangface!" he exclaimed.

"It is actually a complicated process… but I suppose it's worth a try," Marcassin replied, pondering. "However, there is one thing that will be hard to acquire."

"What's that?" Kim asked.

"A Wandsmith. I'm afraid not everyone can make a wand from scratch; certain people must have the gift for it- such as the ability to craft the wand while transferring magicka into it."

"Is it that complicated?" Esther asked.

"Imagine the creation of the Clarion, only it must involve just one person to carve, shape, and forge-magicka within it… all within an hour's time. If a single minute is wasted, the forger must restart the process all over."

"Maybe we can find someone who used to forge wands, then." Biff suggested. "Otherwise, I'm alright with handling a used-wand."

"Let's talk about it more over breakfast," Kim said, holding her stomach. "I'm pretty hungry."

They entered the palace, and Oliver turned to Biff. "Why don't we form your familiar now? That way it will have more energy after you eat breakfast," he suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea." Biff replied, standing in front of Oliver. "What do I have to do?"

Oliver handed him a small scepter- being King Tom's old wand- and pointed to a page in his Wizard's Companion. "Just use the 'Form Familiar' spell."

Biff nodded, then took a deep breath before casting the spell. A ball of light appeared out of his chest, taking a large shape. "W-Whoa…! Did I do it right?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, I was freaked out at first, too. …Look!"

Once the spell was finished, Biff found himself looking at a large robot, known as a Tin-Man. "Wow…"

"And now all you do is name him, and you're set!"

Biff looked at his familiar. "I've never named a robot before… Is 'Gizmo' alright?"

The Tin-Man let out a couple puffs of steam, out of enthusiasm. It then receded into Biff's chest.

"Ha ha, I guess so." He held up the small scepter, continuing down the hall with Oliver. "Thanks for the wand, Oliver… but where do I find a spell-book like yours?"

Oliver looked at his Wizard's Companion. "I actually found mine hidden in the fireplace in my house. It used to be my mom's…" he cleared his throat, holding it up. "But, I know all the spells now, so you can borrow it."

"Thanks!" Biff held up the book, looking through the spells. "I can't wait to use a couple-"

*POW!*

The two gave a jolt at the sound; up ahead, Marcassin, Esther, Kim, and Drippy all froze, while Fangface snarled in alarm. "Crikey! What th' heck was that?!" Mr. Drippy gasped.

"D-Did I do something wrong?!" Biff stammered, looking at his wand.

"No… it came from the indoor courtyard!" Marcassin exclaimed in alarm, running ahead.

Everyone followed, rushing down the corridor and through a pair of doors, entering a large circular room where they saw an indoor garden, fountains…

…and Puggsy lying unconscious on the floor.

Swaine stood a few feet away from him, with his familiar Gunther standing over a knocked-out Rex. "Well. That went quicker than I thought," the thief stated with a grin, holstering his gun.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The moment Puggsy came to, he felt like he had passed out at a college party. In fact, he was hoping that he had, and the whole 'ending up in another world' situation was just a Kafka dream from alcohol.

But once his eyes readjusted and he saw he was still in a pig-like palace, he became solely disappointed.

Not only that, but he also lost a fight to that pain in the ass…

"Swaine! What did you do?!" Esther snapped at the thief.

"Just won a match, that's all." Swaine answered casually, summoning back his familiar (whatever the hell it was, Puggsy couldn't tell).

"Ah, shut up. Ya cheated, so you owe me!" Puggsy sneered, getting back on his feet. He looked around. "Where'd Rex go?"

"He receded back into your heart. Familiars always do when they lose a fight," Esther replied, crossing her arms as she gave him a stern look. "Now tell me, what were you two fighting about?"

"Yeah, Puggsy, what's going on?" Kim asked, equally disapproving.

"Turns out the only way Swaine'll give me a suitable weapon is if I could beat him in a fight- which I would have won if I didn't end up blacking out!" Puggsy explained, while giving Swaine a glare.

"Yeah right. …And you didn't 'black out', numbskull- your familiar ended up running out of stamina." Swaine replied. "Not that it would matter, since mine was about to have it beaten in one hit in two seconds."

"But your familiar has more experience than Puggsy's! It wasn't a fair fight!" Esther scolded.

Swaine shrugged. "There's no such thing as a fair fight. You figure out what you're up against, and either give it your all or step down,"

"I want a rematch- this time, no using familiars!" Puggsy demanded, gripping his sword.

"Oh, like you'd still have a chance-!"

"That's enough!" Marcassin snapped, stepping forth. "Gascon, I do not want to see or hear of you brawling with our guests again, especially within the palace! …And you, Puggsy- I expected you to be wise enough to train with your familiar first, before partaking in a fight. If I find out you and my brother have repeated this incident, I shall see to it you remain unequipped until your conduct improves! Do I make myself clear?!"

Puggsy only glared, crossing his arms and turning away. "Fine. (…he started it, though…)" he muttered.

With that matter settled, everyone began walking to the dining hall. The short teen, however, turned and went back upstairs to his room. "Puggsy? Aren't you coming?" Kim asked.

"I don't have an appetite. I'll eat later," With that, he shut his door.

Kim sighed, walking ahead to the others.

Swaine looked up the stairs, before shaking his head. There was a tap on his shoulder, and he turned around…

Seeing one heck of a glare from Fangface. "*grr* Word of warning, Swaine- you knock out my buddy again, and I'll knock your block off! *snarl*" the werewolf threatened. "If anyone is allowed to rough him up, it's ME."

"I didn't knock him out! His familiar passed out, so he ended up passing out! …Not my fault your friend needs to learn how to fight," Swaine said in defense.

"Then YOU can teach him!" Fangface prodded a finger in Swaine's chest as he said this (nearly knocking the thief over). "And you'd better play fair next time, otherwise you'll be facing _me_ next! *snarl*" With that, the werewolf walked on.

Swaine glared, before following. "Whatever… I've faced worse," he muttered under his breath.

"What?!" Fangface turned and gave him another sharp glare.

The thief hurried past him, keeping cool. "Nothing- let's just go eat,"

As they walked, they didn't notice the short teen had been listening from up the stairs, letting out a heavy sigh. He looked at the sword, then stood up and walked down the stairs.

He had some training to do.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once breakfast was over, Oliver and Esther took Biff, Kim, and Fangface back out to the field.

Marcassin stayed behind with Swaine, the two royals walking down the corridor. "I recommend you lend him one of your firearms, Gascon. It will make up for your behavior," the young sage firmly advised.

"We made a deal, Marcassin- if he beats me in a fight, I'll give him one. If I beat him, he has to assemble it himself," Swaine replied, trying to keep his tone even so not to end up arguing with his brother. "It's no different than when we had to face several sinister guardians in order to get Mornstar and its stones. The same rules apply here."

"But neither he nor his friends know about this world, and are still at novice levels with their skills. The longer it takes for them to grow strong, the longer they will remain here… which means we will be facing hardships from Tobias, until we manage to banish Serpens once more."

"That's true…" Swaine rubbed his chin, considering this. "Until we send everyone home and get rid of that damned wand, the world's going to shoot to hell again."

"Precisely. I am going to finish sending word to Cassiopeia about this matter. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon. …In the meantime, I suggest you help the others with their training. It's the least you can do."

Swaine scoffed. "I was going to anyway! Those teens won't last five minutes without my guidance,"

"Good." Marcassin then went to the royal chambers, while Swaine went to go meet with the others outside.

Everyone was passing the Cat's Cradle by the time the thief caught up to them. "Swaine! Glad you decided to come with!" Oliver exclaimed.

"Yes, well, you didn't think I'd skip out in passing down a few techniques, did you?" Swaine replied with a grin.

"Hmph. At least you're lending something…" Esther huffed. Swaine ignored her.

"Ye lot ready for another rumble?" Mr. Drippy asked.

"*grr* You bet! Bring on the beasts!" Fangface exclaimed. "I'll tear them apart! I'll send 'em running! I'll… I'll…" The werewolf paused in his speech, as his eyes fell upon a picture of the sun, carved on the Inn's sign. He then began to spin.

"What the hell…?" Swaine gasped, backing away. To his surprise, the werewolf became human! "Blimey! H-How'd he do that?!"

"Huh? W-What's going on? Where are we?" Fangs stammered, looking around.

"We made it to Hamelin, Fangs. We're about to go out and start training with everyone," Kim told him.

"We are? But… What about Pugs? Where is he…" Fangs then noticed Swaine standing there. "…And who's this guy?"

"…you gotta be kidding me…" Swaine muttered, cursing under his breath as he shook his head, his face in his palm.

"This is Swaine. He helped us find Puggsy," Biff told Fangs. "…Speaking of which, wasn't he coming with us, Kim?"

"I knocked on his door, but he didn't answer. I guess he just wants to be alone for a while," Kim sighed.

"Well, he'd better not take too long. Th' less time he trains, th' less experience he'll have!" Mr. Drippy stated. "He has to come out an' fight a few creatures sooner or later- an' sooner is th' best choice!"

"F-Fight…?" Fangs gasped, then began backing away. "Um, you guys go ahead… I-I'll wait for Pugs."

"Oh, no you don't! You need more practice than anyone else!" Esther sternly replied. "You have a highly-evolved familiar with you now, so there's no reason you can't fight!"

"Actually, there IS a reason- I don't want to die! THAT'S a good reason right there!"

"Don't worry, Fangs. Biff and I will be training with you, and Oliver and his friends are going to help, too." Kim assured him.

"Yeah, you won't have anything to worry about!" Oliver added.

"Nothing to worry about?! Have you've SEEN the monsters that are out there?!" Fangs stammered.

"Look, it's either learn to fight, or end up being a dead-weight and get killed," Swaine firmly told him.

Fangs cringed, rubbing his arm. "I-I'll probably end up killed either way…"

Swaine rolled his eyes. "With that attitude, I wouldn't be surprised-"

"That's enough, both of you!" Esther intervened, and turned to the thief. "And Swaine, you have no room to talk! I can recount a few times you quivered at the thought of danger,"

"I wasn't 'quivering', I was just stating my opinions. …And even if I _were_ scared, I wasn't as yellow as this guy!" He thumbed at Fangs.

"Guys, let's not argue right now, okay? We've got training to do," Oliver stated, and looked at Fangs. "Fangs, you can at least watch, and use Eclipse for healing-support if things get too rough. Once you see how it's done, you can give it a try, alright?"

"Okay… but I still don't like this," Fangs sighed, following the group out.

"That makes two of us…" Swaine muttered under his breath.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Oliver lead everyone out to the fields, westward towards an oil-mine, but not too far from the palace, in case one of the monsters the gang had encountered still lingered around. They went over to a part of the field where wild creatures lingered around.

Eastward, in another direction just close to the mountain-range, but also not too far away in cause that three-headed beast was still flying about, Puggsy was fighting against another wild pig. He didn't exactly have to look hard to find something to fight against- the crazy hog would see him walking and run at him as if it caught him eating bacon!

Unlike last time, however, the short teen felt a little more determined- and had healed up well enough so he had a bit more strength. With the sword he acquired, he felt that strength increase greatly.

So when the pig came running, Pugsy swung his sword downward, striking it on the head, watching as it disappeared in a puff of smoke!

However, the pig wasn't alone; a rock hit Puggsy in the side, and he turned to see a massive robot coming at him, accompanied by another one of those bug-eyed fly-trap-armed things.

He summoned Rex, having him go after the smaller foe, while he took on the robot. He swung his sword, striking the robot's arm and severing it, then hit it on the head; Rex, in the meantime, punched and smacked the plant-like creature until it disappeared in a puff of smoke. The robot followed suit.

Once the battle was over, Puggsy felt a surge of energy inside, his strength increased; the same went for Rex, who receded back into his chest once the fight was over with.

He then looked around. He felt stronger… but it didn't feel like enough.

During his fight with Swaine, he could sense the thief's strength- how, he did not know; he could also sense the strength of the creatures he just fought. They were weaker than the thief, though [a bit] stronger than the short teen. Considering the prick had been fighting a lot longer than the teen had, much less knew how fighting was done, it made sense he had a lot of skills- though Puggsy wasn't about to praise him.

In other words, until he knew he could match Swaine's strength, he had a lot of training to do.

He saw one of those tiny robots that had come after him earlier, walking along with one of those spinning-cog-like things. Gripping the sword, he ran up, catching them from behind. With one swing, he managed to take one out.

The other one tried to shock him, but he managed to defend himself; he then kicked the robot in the head, making it hit a rock.

A third creature came at him- once again a pig.

He groaned. _Always with the pigs…_ he thought, as he charged at it.

As long as there were creatures around, his training was going to last a while.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

While Puggsy's confidence had grown in fighting, improving his skills… the opposite was happening for Fangs.

The tall, lanky teen watched his friends on the field. Kim was shooting arrows at creatures- sometimes not affecting them, other times wounding them a great deal; when she would run low on arrows, she'd have her familiar, Mavis, fight for her, the Minor Byrde gaining quite a bit of experience.

Oliver was also coaching Biff on some spells, telling him which spells worked best against which kinds of creatures. For instance, a fire-spell worked great on Sore Boars and Snap-Traps, while storm-spells worked best against Tin-Men and Clinkety-Clanks.

His familiar, Gizmo, did excellent in battle as well- even if the Tin-Man had to fight against its own species. Throwing rocks, shocking foes, or even just running up and smacking them proved to be quite effective.

The only time Fangs used Eclipse was when someone needed healing- which wasn't exactly that much. Esther kept trying to get him to summon the flying cat in order to have him fight, assuring Fangs that it would improve his strength.

He tried… but when his familiar got struck, he could feel its pain, and quickly summoned it back.

"Do you have any type of skill?" Swaine had asked him, standing by the teen as they watched everyone train. "Have you've ever handled a weapon at all?"

"N-no… I once carried a sword- but it was made of plastic," Fangs said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"If you carried one, fake or not, that must mean you can use one." Esther guessed.

"I always wanted to have a real one… b-but I don't think I'd be good with fighting with it,"

"You'd be better than your loudmouthed friend," Swaine scoffed, crossing his arms. "The half-pint barely swung it, and even dropped it when I shot at him,"

Fangs' eyes widened in horror; it was then he realized the man was carrying a gun, albeit a strange-looking one. "You SHOT at him!?"

"Calm down, it was just a Nap-Shot; it would just make him fall asleep long enough for someone to run up and knock him unconscious," He then looked over, seeing Kim trying to shoot an arrow, but missing. "Hold that thought. …Kim, try to aim above your bullseye point- don't try to aim directly at it because the arrow slants after you shoot it,"

"Got it," Kim responded, shooting at another creature and hitting its side, making it disappear, though she still sighed in disappointment. "It's hard to hit a moving target,"

"Keep at it- it was hard for me to hit something point-blank when I started out, too." He took aim with his gun quickly, shooting a Sore Boar when it tried to attack Kim from behind, hitting it right between the eyes and making it disappear. "…But now I'm the best gunslinger the world has ever seen,"

"…You're th' ONLY gunslinger this world has ever seen, mun!"Mr. Drippy retorted. "En't anyone else who carries a pistol 'round that I've seen!"

"It's different in our world- a lot of people carry guns," Biff replied, joining the conversation.

"Yeah, we even have gun-shops… though, you have to be 18 to go inside," Oliver added. He looked at Biff. "Do you own a gun, Biff?"

Biff flinched; Fangs noticed a sudden look of despair in his eyes. "Um… I used to, but I left it at home. I-I don't have a license to carry one in public,"

"A license? Why would you need a license to arm yourself?" Swaine asked.

"It's to show you know how to handle one responsibly, meaning you don't take it out unless it's to defend yourself or someone. You have to take a gun-safety course in order to get one, so you learn how to hold a gun right, aim it right, know how to holster it or point it when you're not firing, and how to use the safety on the trigger so it doesn't go off,"

Swaine rubbed his chin. "Interesting… A course like that will be useful, once we're able to market guns." He then grinned. "Maybe I could be the one to teach it,"

"…Then we'd all die," Mr. Drippy cracked.

Swaine shot the fairy a glare. "Shut it, or you can be target-practice for the shooting-range!"

"Target practice…" Kim repeated, looking at her bow and arrow. "Maybe that's what I should work on first. I'm going to go find something I can use as a target to work on my aim,"

Swaine nodded his head to the side. "I think there's an old one behind the kingdom. Marcassin and I used to use it as kids, before we tried our skills against creatures," he then led her away.

"I'll come too," Fangs stated, following them- he felt it would be better not to be out in the open, until his nerves calmed down.

If they ever did.

"I think it's time for me to take a break- none of my spells are working," Biff told Oliver.

"That means you're out of magicka. Just rest for a while, and then we can practice more," Oliver replied, as they walked back towards Hamelin.

"Maybe Puggsy will want to join us by then," Esther added.

"Let's hope so- don't need him draggin' his feet." Mr. Drippy commented.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

*Poof!*

The three Tin-Men fell to the ground, after Rex used his 'Earsplitter' technique to finish them off; Puggsy found it strange (but also cool) that when his familiar made such a roar, it didn't hurt his own ears.

He sighed, leaning against a crumbled wall and wiping his brow; if his watch hadn't stopped after he fell into the ocean, it would be easier to tell how long he had been out fighting. He guessed maybe an hour; or more, but that was only what it felt like.

He was tired now, and had suffered a couple bruises from a few lucky-shots the creatures got in. Summoning Rex back, he could tell his familiar was tired of fighting for the time being as well- and was also hungry.

His stomach growled, as if to remind him he hadn't eaten breakfast yet.

Stretching his back, he turned and walked back towards Hamelin; he would visit one of those shops and grab something- Marcassin had brought up the Hootique selling a variety of snacks while they walked around. He'll grab something on the way in, then lay down for a nap back at the palace.

He stuck his hands in his pockets… feeling a handful of coins.

Ah, that's right; after every fight, a trifle of tokens would appear before him, as if they fell off the creatures he had defeated. He also acquired a few other objects- sometimes sandwiches, other times gears or scrap metal; at one point, a bottle of some sort of healing tonic.

The sandwiches he used to lure creatures into a trap- he didn't dare eat anything that fell off a wild animal (let alone plant or robot). They proved effective, and he could sneak up on the creatures a lot easier, which helped his experience gain.

Another reason for getting rid of any food he gained was because they also attracted creatures- he was caught off-guard a couple times, giving his foes the upper hand. After that experience… well, he'd never complain about Fangface's attacks ever again- at least, until they were back home and that would be the only thing he'd have to worry about.

He walked across the plains. He saw a pair of large robots coming his way, and they looked over, spotting him…

…and immediately turned and ran in the other direction.

Same went for more of those fly-trap creatures, tiny robots, and cog-creatures. All but the boars avoided him- though he was quick to dodge a pig, having it run over the side of the hill, then sprinted towards the main gate of the kingdom. He was tired of fighting the monsters out in the field.

He had a different battle to rest up for.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Marcassin rolled up the scroll, putting a seal on it with a magic rune that transported it to Cassiopeia. He had spent the last couple hours writing a lengthy scroll that described the entire situation- from the teenagers' arrival to the arrival of Serpens, and how they must find a way to not only get the teens home safely, but also banish the evil wand for good.

As short of a description as it sounded, the young sage was known for including every detail when it came to such matters, just so those he wrote to would know how critical the situation is; he also hoped that they would have some sort of solution, if any of the details deemed familiar. Perhaps Cassiopeia would know what to do.

Walking out of the royal chambers, he entered the hallway; perhaps he would go out and see how everyone was doing in their training, and lend a hand if needed.

To his surprise, Biff, Oliver, Esther, and Mr. Drippy were already coming in. "That was a short training session. What brought you back so soon?" Marcassin asked.

"Biff ran out of magicka, so we decided to take a break; we also remembered we never told them about the provisions they would need, and went to the Hootique to find them tonics, food, and Familiar Drops," Oliver answered.

"Swaine took Kim out back to help her with her aim; Fangs is with them," Esther replied.

"Fangs…? Oh, you mean the werewolf?" Marcassin recalled.

"Well, he's in human-form now," Oliver then looked at Biff. "I hope I can remember which name to call him by whenever he changes,"

"One has a flippin' fang on his face, an' th' other's a scrawny coward- unless they're twins, it en't that hard, Ollie-Boy!" Mr. Drippy scoffed.

Oliver ignored him, turning to Marcassin. "Did you get a message sent to Cassiopeia?"

"Yes. I included all the details, so it may be a while before we hear back." Marcassin replied, walking towards the palace doors. "I'm going to check with the grunts and see if any of them have found anything to report on that three-headed monster from yesterday."

"We didn't see or hear anything while we were outside… Do you think it left?" Biff asked.

Marcassin shook his head. "I do not know… but if it is desperate to retrieve Serpens, I have doubts that it would leave the kingdom be; such is why I must make sure our defenses are beyond top-condition." He walked on. "I will return by noon; hopefully we will have a response from Queen Cassiopeia by then."

Biff followed Oliver, Drippy, and Esther down the corridor, looking back at Marcassin. Thinking about it, the sage seemed to be wise beyond his years- he seemed to be 22, though in the stories he had read as a child, the teen leader was guessing he was the type of wizard who didn't age like a normal human. "Marcassin sure knows how to take care of a kingdom… How long has he been in rule?" he asked.

"For over 15 years, since he was seven." Oliver replied.

 _Seven?_ Biff gawked. The only time he heard of someone ruling so young was in Biblical history. "Really? Gosh… that must have been one stressful childhood." He then paused, thinking about it. "But… why didn't Swaine become emperor? Isn't he the oldest?"

Oliver and Esther exchanged looks. "It's a long story- he probably wouldn't want us talking about it," Esther responded, awkwardly.

"If youer younger brother was th' only one who knew magic an' usurped ya, I doubt you'd want anyone to- oop!" Mr. Drippy began to remark, though clapped a stubby hand over his big mouth. "Er, forget ya heard that! Er, c'mon, Biff, let's go see if th' kitchens will let us have an early lunch!"

Oliver sighed, face-palming; Esther shook her head. "Um… okay." Biff responded, deciding not to get into a touchy subject.

Not yet, at least.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Kim aimed her arrow with careful precision, releasing it towards a tall tree with an old, scuffed target carved into its trunk. The way it was scuffed, scratched, and covered with holes, it was easy to tell that Swaine and Marcassin had practiced their weapons on it quite a bit- so much, it was hard to tell where the bulls-eye point was.

She released her arrow, hitting the target near the center. She had to grin- her aim had improved within the last hour; as her experience increased, her arrows shot out quicker, leaving more of an impact.

"You've gotten better, real quick." Swaine complimented, leaning against the wall; he was having another familiar of his, that being a Zombo, train against Eclipse. "And you said you never fought with a weapon, before?"

"I took up archery at summer camp as a kid… I guess I just remember more than I thought I would," Kim replied in modesty. "I still have a lot to improve on,"

"Yeah, well, you're learning quick… which is more than I can say about your friend," Swaine looked over at Fangs.

The tall lanky teen was ducked behind another tree, his eyes covered; Eclipse was standing by, waiting for his command (and looking a bit impatient). Even the Zombo was getting bored, crossing its arms and tapping its foot. "Um… Um… J-Just swipe at it- wait, what does 'Mighty Light' do?! How are these tricks even appearing in my head?! Swaine, what should I do?" Fangs was stammering.

Swaine sighed, face-palming. Kim shook her head, walking over. "You don't need to be afraid, Fangs, your familiar will protect you." She assured him. "Just have it do a trick, and you'll see."

"Um… okay… Mighty Light! Do Mighty Light,"

"Meow!" Eclipse responded- and if Fangs could speak cat, it would probably have translated to "Finally!" The winged cat cast its trick, causing a bright light to flash before the Zombo, making it stumble back.

Swaine flinched, quickly summoning his familiar back. "…nice shot…" he grunted. "…Now have it use a healing spell for me, could you?"

"O-Okay, let's see… um… is Purifying Pulse one?" Fangs asked, giving the command.

Eclipse obeyed, not only healing Swaine but also Kim and Fangs, despite their health was still high. "See, Fangs? It's simple!" Kim told him. "Keep working with Eclipse, and you won't have anything to worry about!"

"I wouldn't rely on the familiar for long- look, it's already worn out!" Swaine pointed out, as the Dualynx seemed to be panting heavily.

Fangs, feeling his familiar lacking strength, summoned him back. "How long are they supposed to last?"

"Well, yours is advanced, so it should have lasted at least twenty minutes. The longest it's been out so far was five!" the thief scratched his head. "Maybe it's based off the amount of strength you have…"

Fangs slouched. "So, unless I manage to learn to fight, Eclipse won't stand a chance either…great."

"Unless you changed into Fangface again- your familiar would probably feel maxed out."

The lanky teen looked at him, confused. "Changed into what?"

"Seriously?! You honestly can't remember turning into a werewolf?"

Fangs scoffed, crossing his arms. "Very funny. I think I'd be smart enough to know whether I was a werewolf or not!"

Swaine rolled his eyes. "…That says it all," he muttered.

Kim patted Fangs on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Fangs- we just need to find a good weapon for you, that'll help you feel stronger!" she told him, leading him back to the front of the kingdom. "C'mon, we can browse around the shops,"

Fangs sighed, following her. "Whatever helps, I guess…" he said, walking with her. He then paused, looking at Swaine. "…But, um, in case I don't find anything, can I borrow your gun?"

Swaine gave a deadpanned look. "Not this trek again…" he groaned, walking forth without answering Fangs.

Fangs watched him go. "So… is that a 'maybe'?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The day went on in a routine; Marcassin, while waiting for a response from Cassiopeia, would check on things around the kingdom. At one point, he went out training with the others to show Esther a couple more spells, while Oliver showed Biff the basics- Mr. Drippy coaching from the sidelines.

Swaine helped Kim and Fangs, via showing them how fighting with familiars worked, and giving tips on when to use a weapon. Fangs, though without weapon, was getting better at commanding his familiar- even though he would hide behind something (or Swaine) every time he summoned it, mostly giving a command and hoping for the best. Kim would have Mavis finish off a foe, if not shoot an arrow at one herself, when her friend's Dualynx had to be summoned back.

Biff had tried to get Puggsy to come out with the others, only to receive no answer. Unbeknownst to him, Puggsy had gone back out to train on his own.

By late afternoon, everyone decided to call it a day. Marcassin returned to the royal chambers, deciding to make sure Serpens was secure, and check for a response from Cassiopeia once more.

Biff, Kim, Oliver, Esther, and Mr. Drippy decided to return to their rooms and rest before dinner. "…So, you're staying here for Fall Break, huh?" Biff asked Oliver as they walked.

"Yeah. I was planning on returning to Motorville Thursday, but I may stay longer." Oliver answered. "Miss Leila never minds, so long as I check in. …Maybe you guys could come with me!"

"Ah, not a good idea, Ollie-Boy; considering they're from th' future, having them go to their home-world in ouer time could upset something. S'pose they ran into their grandparents or something!" Mr. Drippy stated.

"It's alright, Oliver. I bet we'll be home before you have to go back," Biff stated in optimism.

The fairy shrugged. "Here's to hoping,"

As they walked, Esther noticed Fangs going down another hallway. "Fangs? What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm going to go find Pugs. I haven't seen him all day," Fangs replied, walking on.

Esther paused, rubbing her chin as she realized this too; surely he didn't just spend the whole day in his room. "I wonder where he's been all day?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Fangs walked around, asking a couple guards if they had seen his best friend. A couple times, he ended up asking the same guards three times, as he kept getting lost in the maze of hallways.

Finally, one guard told him he had seen the short stocky teen hanging around the indoor courtyard- guiding the lanky teen to the area so he wouldn't end up lost again.

Once there, he saw his friend leaning against a pillar… glaring at Swaine. Resisting the urge to run up and hug his friend, out of relief of seeing him alive and well after the terror he endured yesterday, the lanky teen instead ducked behind a pillar.

For some reason, he had a feeling this wasn't going to end well.

"What do you want?" Swaine scoffed at Puggsy.

"A rematch. We go out to the field, and have a _real_ fight." Puggsy firmly replied.

"I thought I humiliated you enough this morning. What, did you think up a plan while you were moping around in your room, all day?"

"FYI, 'princess', I haven't been in my room- I've been training solo out in the field!"

 _Solo? …As in, all alone?_ Fangs thought, stunned. He looked at his friend- seeing he had a sword sheathed at his side. _But… when did Pugs start carrying a sword?_

"Is that so? …Normally that means you gain extra strength, going it alone." Swaine responded, sounding unimpressed. "I doubt one day of training is enough for you, though."

"How about we add to our wager, then?" Puggsy held up a small sack of coins- where he got it, Fangs wanted to know. "If you beat me again, I'll give you all the money I gained from my fights; but if I win, you not only give me a new gun, but also show me how to shoot with it. I remembered it shot out some sort of grapplifying hook, and didn't shoot ordinary bullets during our fight this morning- and I want to know how it works."

Fangs looked at Swaine- he had no idea what they were talking about, all he knew was that the man had beat his best friend in a fight (…and he wished he had been there to see it).

Swaine let out a small, condescending chuckle. "You must really have an ego if you're that confident." He remarked, then began walking out. "Fine, it's a deal. …Let's go out back this time- wouldn't want your friends to see you get your ass kicked again, would we?"

"Yeah right- you just don't want your little brother chewing you out again," Puggsy scoffed, following him.

Fangs watched them walk away… and then began following from a distance. There was no way he was going to miss this!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Within fifteen minutes, Swaine and Puggsy stood a few feet from each other, ready to begin a new brawl. Swaine could sense that the teen's aura had grown in strength- with that sword in his hand, he probably gained experience quite easily.

The first time, the thief had messing with him- only shooting randomly in order to psyche him out, keeping the teen's focus on him while Gunther beat Rex. Too bad both the teen and his familiar had passed out- it was quite fun picking on Puggsy.

_(A/N: I know this from experience)_

There was a change though, since this morning. This morning, the loudmouth seemed to have an ego to his determination, as if thinking of the whole thing as a game. Now, there was nothing but pure, serious confidence in his eyes- as if he KNEW he could take the thief down, and had prepared himself for anything, having remembered every move Swaine had used in their earlier battle.

He'd have to be careful now, if the teen was so serious in the battle now.

"Ready to lose?" Swaine asked.

"Fight first, remarks later." Puggsy retorted, summoning Rex.

Swaine summoned Gunther, and their familiars attacked each other. He then shot at Puggsy, the teen dodging… while running towards him, sword out and ready to slice him!

Swaine dodged his strike, elbowing him in the face and backing up a ways. He then prepared to order Gunther to use 'Rockfall', making it rain boulders-

" _ROOOOOOAAARRRRRRRRR!"_ An ear-shattering bellow cut across the air, breaking his mental concentration; Gunther himself stumbled back, dazed.

Puggsy looked towards Rex; suddenly, an image of a flaming sword flashed before his familiar, raising his attack strength! He then turned back to Swaine, smirking.

"…So you have been practicing," Swaine only responded, though wasn't going to call the match, yet. Quick as a blink, he took aim and shot- not at Puggsy, but at Rex, blinding the familiar!

Puggsy summoned his familiar back… but it only spread the effects on him, and he found his vision blocked by a purple mist. However, he could hear Gunther running up at him and- following his remaining instincts- swung the sword and struck the familiar, knocking it back!

Swaine felt his pain and quickly summoned his familiar back; he felt his health had been cut low, despite the sword didn't cut deep. He then took aim again, firing a Sure-Shot at Puggsy- getting him in his still-healing leg!

"Agh!" Puggsy cried out, stumbling. The poison was still kicking in, draining his health. All the thief had to do was hit him with one final blow, and the match would be done with.

That is, until it rained on Puggsy, the drops having a glow to them. The teen then stood up straight, void of poison and his strength restored… and then ran at Swaine without hesitation.

Swaine took aim again, but Puggsy summoned Rex, the Dinocerous leaping forth and knocking the gun out of the thief's hand; before he could summon Gunther, the teen was upon him, striking his arm first, then abdomen, and finally leaping up and hitting his shoulder.

Three strikes… and he was out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

" _I am getting bored with our guest… Have those fools even gone to the tower, yet?!" came a raspy voice._

" _Patience, you mimic. Keep driving her insane with the voices of the council…"replied one of three heads._

" _But she is beginning to suspect it's an act!"_

" _Very true- her determination to get out is also rising. If she ends up using her powers to get free…"the second of the three heads agreed._

_There was a flash of light, as another appeared, holding a scroll. "Look what I found, lying around the castle," she chuckled, showing them the message._

" _Hmm… perhaps we can use this to our advantage." The third of the three heads suggested._

" _Then go wait for them- and do not come back empty handed this time! Master Tobias does not wish to be kept waiting any longer," said another voice. "…In the meantime, let us play with our guest- just until sundown."_

_In the caves, the sounds of weeping echoed._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Puggsy couldn't resist smirking in triumph. The match had come close, but he managed to beat Swaine- and to show for it, he felt his strength increase.

However, he couldn't call this a victory.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a Phoenix Feather; he had gained one from training, while receiving mental instructions that they could restore consciousness.

He dropped it on Swaine, not knowing how exactly it worked; the moment it touched the thief, it glowed, disappearing after the man came to. "…what the hell…?" he groaned, rubbing his head. He looked at Puggsy- still smirking- and sneered. "…Let me guess. It wasn't a nightmare."

"Nope."

"You actually knocked me out with a sword I had bought you."

"Yep."

Swaine sighed, standing up. "Alright… a deal's a deal-"

"Not so fast- it's your round,"

"Huh?"

Puggsy looked around. "During the fight, I felt something raining on me… I don't know what it was, but it healed me up. Otherwise, I would've- *ahem* had more trouble gaining the win," he turned to Swaine. "The match is called on interference- someone was watching us,"

Swaine looked around. "Yeah, but who? No one saw us coming out here,"

"I don't know… I just know I can't accept a victory I didn't gain by myself." He then handed Swaine the sack of coins. "So… you won by default. I'll find a way to build a gun myself- should be simple for a smart guy like me, anyhow."

Swaine watched him walk off. He looked at the money, then back at the teen. "…Hold up." He walked up to Puggsy. He crossed his arms, thinking a moment. "Since someone interfered with the fight without either of us knowing, it just makes the match null and void. …But, considering you gave it your all, I'm willing to offer a trade. I keep the guilders, and give you blueprints and the materials you need to make a gun. Sound fair?"

Puggsy considered this, then nodded. "Alright... But no one hears about this match, got it? We take it to our graves,"

"Ha, that I can agree on."

They began walking…

…seeing Fangs summoning back a winged cat; he gasped. "Oh! Swaine, Pugs! I-I didn't know you were out here!" he stammered, innocently grinning. "Hey- Pugs! You're alive! Ooh, ooh, I was so worried- I didn't think you were gonna make it!"

Puggsy gave his friend a suspicious glance, crossing his arms. "Yeah… I bet you didn't," he commented.

"What are you doing out here, Fangs? I figured you'd be hiding under your bed," Swaine remarked, also suspicious.

"I, uh…" Fangs reached into his back pocket, his arm covered by his cloak, and dropped his wallet. "I think I dropped something while we were out here earlier- oh, there it is!" Quickly, he stooped down and picked it up. He then turned on his heel, giving a salute. "Well, I'm heading back in- dinner's probably ready! See ya!"

With a trail of dust-clouds behind, Fangs took off in a sprint.

Swaine and Puggsy exchanged glances. "I don't know whether to thank him… or clobberize him," Puggsy commented.

"Let's just head in," Swaine sighed, walking ahead. "(…I'll clobber him later)."

Puggsy shook his head, following.

At least he was getting a gun… some assembly required.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Fangs didn't bring up the brawl either- namely because he didn't want his best friend, nor the rugged thief, to know he had used Eclipse's 'Healing Rain' technique to help his friend.

He knew the stakes, and the risk he was taking… but he knew he'd never forgive himself if he just let his friend collapse. That, and he thought the fight was only going to involve familiars- not a Gun VS Sword death-match! It wasn't fair that he healed his friend from the sidelines- but it also wasn't fair that Puggsy had to use a sword against a gunslinger with several trick-shots.

Still… he felt bad for costing his friend the win. Even if he had lost anyway.

Unbeknownst to him, both Puggsy and Swaine had him figured out- though, just to spare everyone the humiliation, decided to keep it to themselves.

Puggsy caught up with Fangs in town, seeing the lanky young man moping by a lightpost. Swaine had gone ahead back into the palace, all the shops were closing for the night, so it was just the two of them.

"Hey, Fangs." Puggsy stated, stepping in front of him.

Fangs flinched, quickly trying to hide the guilt on his face. "Y-Yeah, P-Pugs?" he asked- scolding himself for his stutter.

Puggsy only looked at him sternly… before unlacing the sheathed sword from his belt. "You like swordplay, right? I want you to hold on to this for me," he handed it over.

Holding it in his grasp, Fangs felt a surge of power. He looked at Puggsy. "But… this is your sword! I-I-I couldn't-"

"Ah, shut up and take it- you need it more than I do. …It wasn't working out for me, anyhow." He then nodded towards the palace. "Now c'mon, let's go get something to eat- I'm starving,"

Fangs looked at the sword, then back at his friend, grinning. "Sure thing, Pugs!" Tying it to his belt, he followed his friend.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After dinner, everyone lounged around the castle. Fangs sat with Biff by the fountains, looking through the Wizard's Companion. "Ooh, ooh, look at all the stories in here!" the lanky teen stated in awe. "And it even has a list of all the creatures in this world!"

"It also shows you what all you can give to your familiars," Oliver explained, sitting down on the other side of Biff. "What kind of treats they like best, what kind of weapons they can carry, the armor they need…"

"Th' whole works, mun!" Mr. Drippy added.

"Sounds cool- I'm going to see what kind of armor I should get for Gizmo," Biff stated, flipping through the book.

Kim and Esther stood in the middle of the court, the familiar-tamer showing Kim what kind of songs she used to tame creatures. "And you can just play a tune, and they'll come to you?" Kim asked.

"Well, not quite- you have to rough them up a bit; when they're impressed with your skills, then you can tame them," Esther explained, then grinned. "…Though, you must have used a different method to get Mavis."

"Not really… we were both stuck in a cave, and she led me to an exit. In return, I carried her out, since she was too injured to fly."

Esther rubbed her chin. "She must have been tamed already, then. Sometimes when they're young enough, creatures will warm up to others and become their companions."

"That's very-"

"ARROOOOOOOOOOO!"

The two girls turned, seeing Fangface had transformed. "S-Sorry! There was a picture of the moon in the book!" Biff called.

"Jeepers, so just a picture can transform him?" Oliver asked.

"Goin' to need some special censorship if we want him to stick wit' an identity," Mr. Drippy commented.

"Ooh, ooh, where's Pugs? *grr* Is he still up in his room?" Fangface asked, looking around eagerly.

"He's with Swaine… I don't know why, but they went to the workshop, for some reason." Esther stated.

"Thanks! *grr* I'll get that little pipsqueak!" he then took off.

…only to walk back. "Well?" Mr. Drippy asked him.

"Just one question… where exactly IS the workshop? *grr*" he then looked down at his hip, seeing the sword sheathed at his waist. "…And where'd I get this neat sword?"

"I'm afraid all those questions will have to wait," Marcassin stated, walking out. His expression looked grim.

"Prince Marcassin? What's wrong?" Oliver asked.

"I have received a response at long last… but it is not from Cassiopeia."

He held up a scroll, and everyone gasped as they read it.

" _If you wish to see the Witch Queen alive, bring Serpens to the Ivory Tower._

… _The longer you wait, the more she suffers."_


	15. Battle at the Ivory Tower

Puggsy looked over the blueprints lying out on the table. It had been over 20 minutes since Swaine showed him to the workshop, and the teen was still in the process of putting together his own gun. Of course, he had a feeling the project would take a while- just looking at all the different tools that hung on the wall told him that. Swaine had also given him a choice of blue-prints to follow, depending on what kind of gun he wanted, explaining each one had a different level of fire-power.

And, of course, he had to choose the most powerful one… which was also the hardest to make, that being a Cad's Cannon. Looking at the formula in front of him, he didn't really understand it- according to the list he needed a Cad's Clasp, Troll's Tears, and Bubble Pipe to create the gun.

He had been working on the basics of the gun, using parts the thief never used, when he looked over the ingredients. "What do these things have to do with building a firearm?" he questioned Swaine, showing him the list.

The thief looked it over. "Those are just required if you want to use a cauldron to make one," he explained; Puggsy only arched an eyebrow. "Oliver has this genie, Al-Khemi, who can make equipment like that. The more rare the materials, the more powerful the weapon, he told us."

"Alright… so how can I make one the normal way? Unless you have some of these materials I can borrow,"

"Ha! If you want the materials, you'll have to find them yourself- and believe me, it's not an easy scavenger hunt. You may have to start out easy with a Rogue's Revolver,"

Puggsy sneered. "No way- if I'm going to be running into that three-headed monstrosity again, I need all the firepower I can get! You sure there ain't a normal way to build this gun?"

Swaine rubbed his chin, pondering. "There is… or at least, will be," he reached into his pocket, pulling out a sheet of paper covered in sketches and scribbles. It was a detailed blueprint of the gun in-question. "I took apart the gun a few weeks ago to figure out what kind of parts I'd need if I wanted to replicate it, without the use of an alchemy-formula. I'm still working on it though," he handed the paper to the teen. "You can use this as a start- I have a copy in my room,"

"That's more like it (should've shown it to me first, jerk…)" Puggsy replied, muttering that last part quietly. He then began work on his gun.

Swaine watched him- wise enough not to leave the teen alone in the palace's workshop- having to chuckle every time Puggsy would curse, having to take out a misplaced piece or ending up dropping a tool, if not start from scratch. "Having trouble?" he asked, keeping his tone polite so not to ridicule the teen (at least, not _too_ much).

"I'm doing fine- but your penmanship needs work," Puggsy bitterly replied. He cursed again when a screw slipped out of place.

The thief had to smirk. "You've never worked with tools before, have you?"

"I have so! …It's just my first time building a gun, is all."

"Need some help, then?"

Puggsy gave him a cold look. "You can help by shutting up- you're breaking my consideration!"

"You mean 'concentration'?"

"That's what I said- shut up!"

Swaine snickered. It was so easy (and fun) to mess with this kid.

Unfortunately, his fun had to come to an end.

"Swaine! Puggsy!" Esther called, running into the workshop. Following her were the others.

"What is it now?!" Puggsy demanded, throwing his tools down in frustration.

"We've got a problem," Biff replied, showing them the message they had received.

"What the…?" Swaine gasped, reading it over. "Bloody hell- now they're harassing Cassiopeia, too?!"

"We must go to the Ivory Tower- they must have invaded it," Marcassin stated, looking distressed. "If we don't get there soon, God knows what they'll do to her…"

"Let's get to her, then!" Puggsy stated, shoveling his unfinished gun and a few spare parts into a small burlap sack lying on the table; he could finish it later. "How do we get to this Ivory Tower?"

"I can cast Fast-Travel," Oliver stated, raising his wand and casting the rune while thinking of the location… but the rune suddenly went from a neon-blue to orange, flickering out like a flame in the breeze. "Huh…? It won't let me cast it…"

"Our foes must be cancelling out the spell- they must not want us to rescue Cassiopeia too soon," Marcassin deduced.

"But they said to bring Serpens immediately," Kim pointed out. "Why would they cancel out the quickest way we can travel, if they want the wand so bad?"

"Either they're sickos or like to bide their time by making others suffercate, or they know we're smart enough not to take that damned wand anywhere," Puggsy sneered. "They probably cast some jynx so we can't leave without it!"

"If that's the case, we'll have to take it then," Marcassin sighed.

"Are you mad?! You know what would happen if we took it?!" Swaine sputtered.

"It would be worse if we left it behind… Chances are, the monsters would invade Hamelin and destroy the kingdom to find it,"

"But… we can't just hand it over to them!"

"We're not," Biff stated. "We'll take the wand, but we won't let them have it. We can use it to draw them out- once we know what all we're up against, we can figure out a way to stop them and save Cassiopeia!"

"*grr* You can leave it to me- there isn't a monster I've faced who could match my strength!" Fangface exclaimed, holding up his sword and swinging it around. "I'll slice 'em, dice 'em, and turn 'em into confetti! *snarl* They'll regret ever hauling US out of our home-world!"

"Gah! Oi! Watch where youe're swinging that thing, fur-face!" Mr. Drippy yelped, leaping back to avoid getting impaled. "Save it for th' battlefield!"

"Alright… but if we're bringing Serpens, who will carry it? If the monsters you've told us about are drawn to it, they will attack the one who has it on their person," Marcassin asked. He looked at Oliver, Biff, and Esther. "And we can't let another wizard carry it; it's dark powers may corrupt one of us,"

"I'll carry it!" Fangface volunteered. "I'm not a wizard- at least, I don't think I am… though there was this one time I used a spell-book and turned Puggsy into a frog by accident…"

"So you have used magic before?" Oliver asked him. "But… as Fangs, you couldn't do any magic,"

Fangface shrugged. "Ooh, ooh, I guess Fangs just can't use magic…" he paused. "Wait. Who's Fangs?"

"He's your human-half… dammit, we don't have time for this!" Swaine snapped, growing impatient. "Look, I can't use magic, I'll carry the bloody wand. We need to hurry!" he then ran out.

"I'm with the gunslinger- let's go!" Puggsy stated, following along with the others.

They ran to Marcassin's chamber, where he took Serpens out of a vault. He handed it to Swaine, who grimaced at the sight of it- holding it filled him with a sense of dread. The thief turned to Oliver. "Alright, cast 'Travel' now,"

Oliver did so. This time, the rune glowed bright, and in a flash they found themselves in the front of the Ivory Tower.

Their visitors looked behind them, seeing that the Tower was hovering in the sky; inside, everything was a marble-white color, and they quickly learned how the Ivory Tower got its name.

However, it was anything but beautiful beyond the front entrance; everyone gasped, seeing large automatons ripped apart, smashed, or lying there sparking and twitching; some were smashed into the walls, which also showed claw-marks and dents; windows were shattered; and down the halls there were footprints, leading deep into the tower.

"Cassiopeia!" Marcassin cried out, his voice echoing throughout the castle.

Silence…

Until…

" _Marcassin! Help!"_

Cassiopeia's voice echoed back to them. "She's still here!" Marcassin exclaimed, heading down one hall. "This way!"

The others followed. "I've never heard her so frantic…" Esther stated, as they ran across a bridge to another corridor, following the footprints.

"Considering the beasts we have to deal with, I don't blame her," Puggsy retorted.

" _Hurry!"_ Cassiopeia cried once more.

The group gathered on a platform, teleporting to another floor. They continued to run down the corridors, moving along narrow ledges to cross to another room, before teleporting onto another floor. The trail seemed to be leading higher and higher.

Suddenly, it split- one set of foot-prints was going left, towards the library, and another set was going right, towards her bedroom. Her cries had stopped, giving no clue on where she was being held captive. "They must have gone to the library- that's where all the documents about Tobias were found!" Marcassin guessed.

"What if it's just a ploy? She could be trapped in her bedroom," Swaine questioned.

"We'll split up- half of us will search the library, the other half will search her bedroom," Biff suggested.

"We'll check the bedroom, you head to the library- we'll meet you there if we don't find anything," Biff stated, as he, Kim, Puggsy, and Fangface ran to the bedroom.

"Be careful!" Esther called to them, as she and her group ran to the library.

The werewolf and his friends ran down a long corridor into a room, seeing that- unlike the rest of the castle- everything seemed to be in-order. There were no claw-marks, shattered windows, or broken robots lying about, as if the room was left untouched. Fangface began to sniff around, trying to find a trace of danger or the missing Cassiopeia.

"I don't see anything…" Kim stated, looking around the room with the others. "Cassiopeia? Cassiopeia!"

"Here's something!" Biff called, standing by a desk; on it was a scroll, telling the tale of Tobias, giving a detailed picture of the fiend being banished- however age had smudged part of the picture, the only feature they could make out was the villain's eyes. "It's just like the guy from 'Foresee'… Oliver's guess was on the spot!"

"Does it say why he's immortalized?" Puggsy asked, looking at the scroll.

"No. Wait… look at the rune he's casting," Biff squinted, seeing the shape of the rune seemed to look like a swirl with two lines dashed over and across it. "I haven't seen that in the book, before…"

"Um, guys?! *grr* We've got company!" Fangface exclaimed, and the others turned around… seeing a transparent man with long green hair, wearing all-white.

"Huh?! Who are you?! Where's Cassiopeia?!" Kim gasped.

The man was speaking… though, his voice was silent. He pointed to the Wizard's Companion. "Um…" Biff opened the book, and the man motioned him to turn the pages; the leader did so, until the stranger had him stop, then pointed at a rune. "Spirit Medium? …He's a ghost!"

"A ghost?!"

"Why does a ghost want you castifying a spell?" Puggsy questioned.

"The spell allows us to speak to the dead… He must know something!" Biff realized, then waved the wand Oliver had given him, casting the rune.

"Can you hear me now?" The stranger asked; the others nodded. "Good. Now, tell me what you are doing here! Are you in league with the beasts that attacked last night?!"

"No, we're just trying to help find someone! Cassiopeia- do you know her?" Kim asked.

"My queen? Of course… she vanished last night, when those fiends attacked." The ghost looked to the floor. "They crept in silently, echoing voices of our past-foes in order to scare Cassiopeia; I rushed to defend her… but by the time I arrived, it was too late; one of them had taken her away, and the rest attacked, destroying the castle."

"So we figured. …Are you saying she isn't here?" Puggsy questioned.

"No, I've spent hours searching all over. Yet… I thought I heard her voice,"

Kim's mind pondered, finding this familiar. "She's not hear, but you heard her voice…?" she repeated, then gasped. "Oh no!" she then raced out, calling to the others. "Oliver! Esther- everyone, come back!"

"Kim! What's going on?!" Biff called, as he and the others raced after her.

"We have to get to the library- it wasn't Cassiopeia!" They ran down the hall, managing to catch up to Oliver and the rest…

…just as they were entering through the doorway.

"STOP! IT'S…!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

" _IT'S A TRAP!"_

Upon hearing Kim's cry, Oliver and the rest turned, seeing their visitors rushing towards them. "What-" he gasped.

*SLAM!*

The doors shut, sealing them in the room; sealing the doors were the two enemies who had captured Kim and Fangs before. "It's about time you arrived," the mimic spoke in Cassiopeia's voice.

"So you're the ones behind this… Where's Cassiopeia?! What have you've done with her?!" Marcassin snarled.

"You're precious queen is back in my lair… I'd like to say she's alright…" the mimic changed his voice to the tone of the Zodiarchs. " _But a few 'others' would say otherwise!"_

"Rotten bastards…!" Swaine quickly drew his gun and fired at one of them… but she disappeared in a flash. "What the…? *gack!*" She had appeared behind him, catching him in a choke-hold.

"Hand over Serpens, and we might spare you…" the she-creature stated, trying to take the wand from Swaine. She then snarled in pain, releasing him- behind her, she saw that a Mermite had slashed her with its sword.

"We're not handing over Serpens!" Oliver snapped, having his familiar attack once again, making the she-creature leap back. "We have already rid the world of evil- it's finally at peace!"

"Is it?" came another voice, and they looked up. From the top of the spiraling staircase a figure leaped down… though stopped an inch above the ground, suspended by strings attached to floating sticks. It looked like a large marionette, looking human but with wooden features, an eerie smile, and a deep gaze. His tone was also rather too calming… "The world is full of evil- did you think that defeating a powerful enemy would change that?"

"What are you talking about?!" Esther snapped. "We saved the world! There's no evil left!"

"Or so you think… There are all kinds of evil, child," The marionette seemed to circle around them, 'pacing' in the air. "There are still many bad people out there- liars… murderers… _thieves_ …" he couldn't resist smirking at Swaine as he said this, then his eyes drifted to Oliver. "Even those who deem to be pure of heart have done evil… like going against the balance of nature- such as using magic to change one's heart, or trying to bring the dead back to life."

Oliver gripped his wand, wincing. "Don't listen to him- he's just trying to get on our nerves," Swaine whispered to him. He then spoke to the living puppet. "You have the gall- you're trying to help Tobias end the world!"

"Not 'end' it, but recreate it!" The marionette stared deeply at Swaine. "Imagine… a new world, with only one ruler- no more wars will exist, life can begin anew… no one will have to struggle again… those who heed Tobias will receive all they've ever wanted…"

"What they've… wanted…?"

"No more stealing… no more having to defend a kingdom… all will be taken care of… if you just submit..."

"Submit…"

"SWAINE!" Esther shouted, yanking Swaine by the back of his collar.

"Don't listen!" Marcassin bellowed, standing between his brother and the marionette.

"What the hell…?!" Swaine groaned, feeling like he just woke up.

"You were about to hand him Serpens, you idiot!" Esther snapped.

"I-I was?! But…"

"Enough of this!" The she-creature exclaimed, teleporting in front of Swaine and trying to pry the wand from his grasp, but he hung on strong. She then used her lizard-feet to grab onto his heels, yanking him onto his back.

The others rushed into action. Oliver shot a Fireball at the marionette, while Marcassin shot an Arrow of Light at the mimic; Esther summoned Gogo to attack the she-demon, making her release Swaine.

"Swaine! Take the wand to the library! It'll be secure there!" Oliver ordered him; Swaine nodded, rushing up the stairs.

The creatures snarled, running after him; Marcassin and Oliver fired at them. "Come, you can't win… just resist…" the marionette tried coaxing, but Esther played a tune on her harp to drown out his voice.

It wasn't enough. The she-creature teleported in front of Swaine; however, the thief summoned his familiar, Gunther, to attack her, shoving her to the side while the thief hurried up the stairs. She teleported again, this time at a greater height and leaping forth, grabbing the wand with feet and hands, all her weight pushing against his.

Swaine stumbled, nearly falling over the railing; his outstretched foot caught underneath the railing on the other side, keeping him from being pushed completely over… though not for long. The monstress was too heavy…

*BAM!*

The battle ceased temporarily, as the doors flew open. Standing there were Biff, Kim, Puggsy, and Fangface with all their familiars. "Sorry it took us so long- Biff had to master the 'Spring Lock' spell," Puggsy stated with a smirk."But now that we're here… SIC 'EM, REX!"

The Dinocerous ran forth, releasing an 'Ear-Splitter'. The she-creature shrieked, covering her ears, giving Swaine the chance to push upward and shove her off and over the railing, continuing up the stairs. He drew his Masterthief's Magnum, firing at her for good measure as he ran. "I need some back-up up here!" he called.

"*grr* I'm on my way, Swaine!" Fangface exclaimed, then signaled Eclipse to fly ahead of him. "You defend Swaine, I'll handle that other thing again!"

"…not exactly who I had in mind…" Swaine shook his head, but continued on; the Dualynx flew by his side. When the she-beast teleported close, the familiar used 'Mighty Light', the technique bright enough to blind all their enemies.

The mimic screeched in pain, rubbing his delicate eyes; Mavis attacked him while he was distracted, and Kim shot an arrow at his side. "That's for earlier, you creep!" she yelled.

Biff and Gizmo helped Oliver ward off the marionette, however he had to summon his familiar back as it was still low on stamina. Puggsy helped Kim and Marcassin fend off the mimic.

Esther was trying to cast a 'Fireball' spell with her wand to help, but ended up falling back after the spell was cast. "Esther, keep us all healthy," Oliver advised. "We'll handle the battle!"

"Okay," Esther sighed, sheathing her wand and using her harp, boosting everyone's attack.

Swaine had reached the top of the stairs by this point, but was completely out of breath. The she-creature appeared behind him, knocking him to the floor and making Serpens roll out of his grip! He reached for it, but she held him down, reaching for it as well. Eclipse flew in front of her and scratched her hand;

Fangface arrived seconds later- also exhausted. "Man… *huff huff* talk about a cardio-workout!" he wheezed. "Anyone else feel like taking a water-break?"

"Reowr!/Fangface!" Eclipse and Swaine both snapped.

"Oh, right!" Fangface then grabbed the she-creature by the tail, swinging her around and onto the floor. "*grr* Didn't think you'd see ME again, did ya?!"

"I was actually hoping so," the she-creature responded, grabbing him by the throat with her feet. "Now I can kill you!"

"*gack* Wait! C-Can't we catch up first?! Uh, um… w-what have you've been up to since I last saw ya? How's the kids? Do you have any?!"

*Bang!*

The she-creature screeched as a Rot-Shot hit her arm, poisoning her. "Idiot," Swaine sneered at Fangface, grabbing Serpens and heading for the library.

*CRASH!*

The castle rocked just then, knocking everyone off their feet. "What in the world…?!" Marcassin gasped, everyone looking out the window.

There the three-headed dragon was, flying back… and then ramming back into the floating castle at full speed!

*CRASH!*

Swaine was hanging on to the railing, but on the dragon's second-bout, he stumbled, crashing into Fangface and dropping Serpens over the edge. "The wand!" he gasped.

"Get it, boy!" Fangface ordered his familiar, who dove after the wand and caught it… but the flying-feline was caught by the she-creature. "Hey! *grr* Hands off my cat!"

"I'll take that-" the she-creature stated, trying to take the wand… but the dualynx went wild, dropping the wand and clawing at her face. "ACK!"

"Ha ha, serves you right!"

"Shut up and get the wand!" Swaine snapped at Fangface, rushing to his feet.

"*grr* Hey, YOU'RE the one who dropped it!" Fangface leaped over the railing- slamming his feet onto the back of the she-creature; his dualynx hovered there, watching as they hit the ground, the werewolf running to get the wand.

Swaine slid down the railings, stumbling onto the floor and running towards the wand as well… but the three-headed dragon slammed into the castle again, not only making him and Fangface stumble and crash into each other once more, but also having the wand roll away. "...we've got to stop meeting like this…" Swaine groaned.

The wand rolled across the floor. Oliver rushed to grab it, but the mimic pounced on him, grabbing it with its teeth; Kim shot the beast with another arrow, making it drop the wand and she grabbed it; the marionette rushed at her, and she threw it to Biff- but he ended up tackled by the she-creature, who picked it up; before she could teleport, Esther played 'Cacophony', startling her into dropping it, and she ran to grab it; the marionette got in her way, knocking her down and grabbing it instead… but a grappling-hook shot out and pried it out of his hands, back into Swaine's.

*CRASH!*

Windows were shattered as the three-headed dragon managed to smash through the castle-wall; the red head breathed fire at one half of the group, while the blue head shot out ice to freeze the other half; the middle head roared loudly, sending the rest flying back. It then loomed over Swaine, who shot at it with Rot-Shots, but he was tackled by the mimic, the wand being knocked out of his hand and rolling across the floor.

It landed at Puggsy's feet, the teen picking it up. "Not this again…" he gulped as the dragon-heads turned towards him. Rex tried punching one of them… but in turn the familiar was swatted away, badly hurt. Puggsy quickly summoned him back so not to black out again.

"Oh, knickers- Pugs is surrounded!" Drippy exclaimed.

"*grr* Hang on buddy, I'm-" Fangface exclaimed… but found himself passing out. "…unconscious…"

Esther looked over, seeing that the dualynx had run out of stamina. "Fangface, wake up!" she gasped, rushing over to the werewolf and taking out a Phoenix Feather to wake him up.

The others rushed to help Puggsy, but the mimic, she-creature, and marionette blocked their path; only Marcassin and Drippy managed to get past. Marcassin cast 'Thunderstorm' on the creature, but it didn't do any good.

"Get back you overgrown creepo!" Puggsy snapped, swinging the wand at the monster at different angles… then gasped.

A light was emitting from Serpens- a rune Oliver recognized as 'Astra'. "What the…?" he gasped.

The rune absorbed into the wand, which then glowed bright. "W-W-What's going on…?!" Puggsy shouted.

"You…" Marcassin gasped.

"Crikey!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed.

*POW!*

A bright light flashed through the room- brighter than any other, as the wand's power was greater than that of Astra or Mornstar.

All the monsters screeched- the she-creature vanished; the mimic shot out into the night; the dragon flew out with the marionette on its back. "This is not over- our master has more than one trick up his sleeve!" the marionette shouted at them.

Puggsy breathed heavily, shocked at what had happened, letting out a steady breath. "And STAY out!" he shouted, before falling to his knees.

The others looked at Serpens, then at Puggsy.

"…Great. He's a wizard," Swaine was the first to comment.


	16. Should've Brought a Flashlight

"Pugs! You're… you're a wizard, too?" Kim gasped, astounded.

"*grr* Wow! That's amazing! Two of my friends know magic!" Fangface exclaimed, turning to Puggsy. "Ooh, Pugs, can you make yourself disappear, or pull a rabbit out of your hat?"

"How about we focus on the PROBLEM first, then do magic tricks later?" Swaine retorted.

"Right, we have to find Cassiopeia, still!" Biff said. "Those monsters must have her hidden somewhere,"

Oliver held up his wand, casting Foresee… but the spell flickered out. "I don't have enough magicka for Foresee," he told the others.

"I think all of us used up a large amount of power during our fight… except…" Marcassin began to say, then looked at Puggsy. "I believe it is fortunate that you are a wizard, Puggsy. You should have the right quantity to use the spell,"

"H-Huh? What?" Puggsy stuttered, having been staring at Serpens during this time; it was more amazing to him that he could use magic- in fact, he still disbelieved it. "What are you talking about?"

"The Foresee spell," Biff told him, showing him the spell. "None of us have enough magic for it, but you might. Can you cast it and find Cassiopeia?"

Puggsy blinked. "I just found out I'm a wizard two seconds ago, guys!"

"An' we're wastin' more seconds just standing 'round!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed. "Stop being a hard-head an' give th' spell a go! We've got a Witch Queen to save, mun!"

Puggsy sighed, then held up Serpens. "Fine… but I need a different wand. I don't trust this thing,"

"Here, use mine." Esther said, handing him her scepter.

Shoving Serpens in Swaine's hands, Puggsy waved the scepter in the shape of the rune, watching as it glowed bright. "Now say her name- be sure to be specific, or it will show you the wrong image." Marcassin advised.

"Um… We're looking for Cassiopeia, she was kidnappified…" Puggsy said. A swirling vortex of colors appeared, and he stepped back, watching as a blurry vision began to appear.

Once the image was clear, they could see Cassiopeia in a state of distress; her dress was torn, she had bruises and scrapes on her face, arms and legs; and she was sitting in a dark cavern, hands covering her ears as she sobbed. "T-There she is! But… what's wrong with her?" Oliver gasped.

"It looks like she's in a cave, somewhere-" Swaine said, studying the image.

Kim's eyes widened. "I know that cave! T-That's where I was taken!" she exclaimed; she gave a shudder. "Poor Cassiopeia- we've got to save her, quick!"

"Are you sure it's the same cave? Suppose they took her to another one…" Marcassin questioned, wanting to make sure.

Kim looked at the image. The witch queen was sitting by an underwater stream crying… the same position the teenage girl had been in a couple days ago. "I remember… It was dark, and that mimicking creature kept using everyone's voices to scare me. It's located in a mountain in a desert, a few miles from that city I found Biff in…"

"The Cave of Woes! Of course!" Esther gasped in realization; everyone looked at her curiously. "It's an old Al-Mamoonian legend. The caves were forbidden to visit, as people would hear voices of friends, family, even the deceased, that drove them mad! They believed them to be haunted by treacherous spirits… though now it turns out to be that copycat monster!"

"Then lets go save Cassiopeia before she loses all her wits!" Swaine exclaimed.

Everyone hurried through the castle. Horace appeared alongside them. "Did you find Cassiopeia?" he asked- the Spirit Medium spell still in effect, thankfully.

"Yeah- she's in a place called the Cave of Woes. We're going to save her," Biff said.

"Then I shall accompany you- it is the most I can do after letting harm befall my queen, once more."

They reached the entrance of the palace. Oliver took out his dragon-horn, calling for Tengri. "What's with the horn?" Puggsy asked.

"Oh, that's right! We haven't told you about the dragon!" Kim gasped.

Puggsy's eyes widened. "The WHAT?!"

"Kyaaaaah! Kyaah!" came a response from Tengri, as the dragon landed at the entrance of the floating palace.

"Whoa!" The short teen took three steps back.

"Don't worry, he's quite friendly." Marcassin assured him. "We often rely on him for all our transports,"

"You mean… we're going to _ride_ a dragon?"

"Just don't spook him *grr* I learned that the hard way," Fangface stated.

Tengri lightly growled at the werewolf.

Fangface gave him a look. "Well excuse me, but I didn't know we were flying! *grr* You know what a shock it is to suddenly wake up and find yourself 10,000 feet high? I nearly had a heart attack! *grr* Heart attack,"

Tengri snorted.

"Okay, okay, I won't howl as long as you don't buck,"

Esther looked at Fangface in amazement. "He can talk to animals?" she asked his friends.

"I never knew," Kim replied, equally astonished.

"Kyah," Tengri chirped, looking at all the group.

"What do you mean there's not enough room on your back?" Fangface questioned.

"He's right," Marcassin stated, looking at Tengri. "It seems the most he can carry is five people,"

"Does anyone have enough magic for Fast Travel?" Oliver asked.

"If I may, I can be of assistance," Horace spoke up. "Spirits have the ability to transfer themselves to any location. It's like Fast Travel for the deceased, but without the use of magic. I can temporarily transfer the ability to some of you,"

"Let's do it. We'll meet at the caves," Biff said.

"Right. Half of us can get on Tengri, the others can go with Horace," Oliver agreed.

"I'm going with the ghost. No offense to your dragon, but I'm still getting over a bad flight experience." Puggsy stated.

Tengri snorted smoke at him. Fangface patted his snout. "*grr* Yeah, he's a big one- I know." The werewolf replied.

Puggsy arched an eyebrow. "A big _what_ …?"

"Nothing, nothing," Fangface and Tengri both looked away innocently. He looked at Oliver. "Mind if I hitch a ride with you guys? *grr* I want to give dragon-riding another shot."

"I'll go with Horace- I want to see what Ghost Travel is like," Esther stated.

"Let's just hurry- Cassiopeia's probably lost all her wits by now!" Swaine spoke up, climbing on Tengri's back.

"Right. We'll see you at the caves!" Oliver said as he, Drippy, Marcassin and Fangface hopped on.

Tengri then flapped his wings, taking off to the skies, flying out into the distance.

Biff, Kim, Puggsy, and Esther went with Horace; the ghost had them join hands as he held onto Biff's and Esther's. In a white flash, they all disappeared.

Ghost Travel was similar to Fast Travel alright… except that it left the group feeling cold and numb; despite it only took a few seconds to arrive to their destination, they still felt frozen. Once they arrived, Horace let go of their hands, and they all sighed as their body-heat returned.

"That was f-f-freezyfying," Puggsy said, rubbing his arms to provide some extra warmth.

"Did we pass by the Winterlands?" Esther said.

"I apologize- I suppose when one of the living Ghost Travels with a spirit, they end up temporarily feeling as cold as we do." Horace stated. "Since we no longer have body heat and such,"

"Willackers, what a way to live- er, exist." Kim stated, correcting herself. "Being cold forever…"

"Oh, it's alright. Since I no longer have any nerves, it doesn't bother me- and it is quite relaxing during a trip through the desert," He looked around at the mountains. "Now… where was this cave you were speaking about?"

Kim looked around; she spotted the city of Al-Mamoon in the south-west distance; recalling her position from exiting the cave, she pointed westward. "This way,"

The group walked along the path; as they did, Esther reached into her pack and pulled out four bottles of iced coffee. "Here, drink these." She said, handing three to Biff, Kim, and Puggsy. "Coffee helps increase magicka for wizards and familiars,"

"No wonder you're always full of energy," Biff joked, accepting the beverage. He looked ahead, spotting a hole in the side of the mountain. "Is that where you came out, Kim?"

Kim looked, nodding. "Yeah. The monster wouldn't follow me since it was daylight," she replied, then looked over, seeing that it was well past sunset. "…I wish we didn't have to go in there at night…"

"Don't worry. There's some Light spells you can use," Esther stated. "Arrow of Light is a good attack to use against creatures of darkness, and Magic Lamp is used to light your path- but it only lasts a few minutes, so we may be casting it quite a bit." She reached into her pack. "I should have brought some espresso…"

Biff looked to the skies. "I wonder when the others will get here," he stated.

"Dragons travel fast; they'll be here in a moment, I'm sure. While we wait, we can boost our magicka so we'll be ready to go inside,"

"Yeah, I want Mavis to be ready for face that creep again," Kim said, sipping her coffee; she then looked at her bow, deciding to count and see how many arrows she had. "I hope I have enough..."

Puggsy sat down, pulling out the knapsack he had on his person. Looking at the blueprints, he began to work on his gun. Esther watched him for a moment, before summoning a familiar, a Grand Sun, giving him some light to see. "Thanks," he said to her.

"Anytime. …Why are you building a gun? You can use magic now," Esther had to ask.

"Yeah, but I don't know all the spells by heart like you guys do- plus, I'll need a back-up plan in case I run out, and Rex can only fight for so long (…dammit, where does this part go?...)"

Esther nodded, deciding to let the teen work. She looked over at Horace, who was looking at the cave with a solemn expression. "Horace… if you don't mind my asking… how do you plan on fighting? Do ghosts have other special powers?"

"I believe so…" The late-Sage of Ages thought for a moment. "I can still summon a familiar, first of all."

"Ghosts have familiars?"

"Yes. When I was at a younger appearance, I fought with one in the Solosseum…" Horace then summoned a familiar… a Magimech Sentry!

Biff gave a jolt. "That looks like those robots back at Cassiopeia's castle!" he said, astonished.

"And it is my strongest one," Horace replied, then summoned it back. "Unfortunately, when you're a ghost, you can only have familiars out for a short amount of time- since ghosts don't carry stamina for them to share, they must rely on their own."

"But, if you're a ghost… shouldn't your familiars be ghosts, too?" Kim questioned.

"Familiars are creatures that are linked to the soul; as long as my soul remains on earth, they shall exist." Horace looked to the skies. "…Before it comes time for me to move on to the next life, I shall find new masters to care for them."

"What if someone dies and immediately moves on? Do the familiars still go with them?" Esther asked.

"That is a topic I am not familiar with. Though a ghost, I do not know about what goes on in the afterlife,"

"…Mind if we change the topic?" Puggsy stated, slightly disturbed. "I don't think it's good karma to be talking about _death_ before going spelunking in a monster-filled cave,"

"Oh, just work on your gun." Esther huffed. Puggsy rolled his eyes, but returned to his concentration.

"I see the others!" Biff exclaimed, pointing upward as Tengri came flying down.

The moment the dragon touched down, Swaine scrambled off… looking quite pissed. "Next time, you're taking the werewolf," he muttered to the others.

"What happened?" Kim asked.

"Nothin'- youer furry friend jus' couldn't stop yappin' 'bout flyin' 'round on a dragon; ol' Thief-Face had jus' about enough. Can't blame him, I was 'bout ready to jump off myself!" Mr. Drippy answered first. "I know riding a dragon is quite th' thrill, but th' wolf-boy acted more hyped than th' rest of us ever did! Kept askin' Ollie-boy to make Tengri to barrel-rolls an' such,"

Fangface leaped down, looking quite energetic. "Ooh, ooh! That was incredible! *grr* I liked how we shot through th' clouds, and made all those birds scatter! And the barrel-rolls were fun, too! We were soaring so fast, I thought my fur was going to fly off! *snarl* Can we fly the dragon everywhere, guys? Huh? Huh? It's a lot of fun- a lot of fun! *aroo!* tch-tch-tch," he was rambling, tail wagging with excitement.

"Fangface, please try to focus on the matter at hand." Marcassin stated, looking towards the cave. "She's in there?"

"Yeah- but it may take a while to find her. It's like a maze down there!" Kim told everyone.

"I propose someone should stand guard outside, in case those beasts come around," Horace stated. "Should they come around…" His voice suddenly fell silent, the Spirit Medium spell having worn off.

"We shall be ready," Marcassin assured him. He looked into the caves. "She was near a river in the cave. Do you remember where it was, Kim?"

"Sort of. It was down through here, and through a small tunnel." Kim said. "But what if she moved? I spent a lot of time running through those caves…"

"We'll listen for her," Swaine stated. "She seemed to be crying pretty hard, we'll probably hear her echoes," He looked at Marcassin, noticing his brother had a concerned expression. "So… who wants to be the lookout?"

"Kyaah," Tengri chirped.

"Tengri says he'll keep watch," Fangface translated. "But I'm going in! *grr* Someone's gotta keep those monsters away!"

"I'll have to go in, too. I remember a few routes in the caves so I can help navigate," Kim added.

"And those of us with magic will have to go in," Marcassin stated.

Horace made a gesture signifying he was going in as well.

"Swaine, you should stay as the lookout." Biff advised.

Swaine held up Serpens. "What about the wand? Those beasts will sense it and draw near here!" he stated.

Fangface took the wand from him. "I'll keep it hidden! *grr* They won't get it so easy with a werewolf guarding it," he said… then somehow managed to stick the entire wand in his cap!

Swaine blinked. "…You sure you don't know magic?"

"Are you sure it's wise to take it down with us?" Marcassin questioned Fangface.

"No- but I doubt all those monsters can fit in this cave *grr*" Fangface stated.

"As long as it's not out in the open, I doubt it will draw much attention." Biff claimed.

"Let's hope so," Puggsy said, shoving his half-assembled gun back into the knapsack with the blue-prints. The Grand-Sun still hovered by. "Um, Esther, mind summoning back the mini-sun?" he thumbed at Fangface, who had yet to look over. "…before it changes Fangface back into a weakling?"

Esther nodded, summoning back her familiar. "We do need him at his bravest," she agreed.

"Alright, everyone ready? Let's go." Marcassin stated.

"Aye, time to go save a damsel in distress!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed, hopping ahead, his lantern shining in the darkness.

"Drippy, wait! There isn't-!" Kim gasped.

"AAAAAAaaaaauuuugh…!"

*Thud!*

Kim cringed. "…a path…" she finished. She looked to the others. "I forgot, I had to climb up a wall to get out..."

"Mr. Drippy! Are you alright?" Oliver called.

"(flippin' knickers dang fang rackin' frackin' shaba-laba-ding-dong…!)" came much grumbling and cursing from the Lord High Lord of the Fairies. A bouncing light down below signified he was hopping around in rage.

"What's he saying…?" Biff asked.

"Um… I don't think I should say," Oliver replied. "How should we get down there?"

"I recommend NOT jumping!" Mr. Drippy called up. "First step is a doozy, like!"

"We'd need some rope or something…" Marcassin stated.

"What about that one spell you used to pull me out of that gorge?" Puggsy suggested. "If it can pull someone up, it can help lower someone down, right?"

"Puppet String? …Yes, I believe that could work." Marcassin stated.

"I can cast it," Biff said. "It's the first spell I learned,"

"Alright. But once you move an object, you'll have to cast it again to use another."

"Right." Biff held up his wand, casting the rune.

First he lowered down Marcassin; afterwards Oliver, then Esther; Kim, Fangface and Puggsy were the last to be lowered down; Horace, being a ghost, hovered down with ease. Afterwards, Esther decided to cast the spell to lower Biff down.

"Easy… easy…" the familiar tamer kept whispering to herself, moving Biff down slowly. Suddenly, the spell flickered, and the teen leader ended up dropping-

"OOF!"

…on Puggsy and Fangface. "Nice catch, boys! Ye broke his fall!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed.

"…and I think he broke our backs…" Puggsy grunted.

"I-I'm sorry!" Esther gasped.

"It's okay, Esther." Biff said in reassurance. "Just try not to be nervous next time,"

She sighed. "I'll just stick to my harp for now. I can't risk botching a spell during a crisis,"

"Don't beat yourself up- it was a good effort!" Biff patted her on the back. "But if you want to use your harp, go ahead- we'll need a good healer for Cassiopeia,"

"Where was this tunnel, Kim?" Oliver asked, casting 'Magic Lamp' to light their way.

Kim looked around, then pointed ahead. "This way," she said, walking over and kneeling down by the tunnel. "It's going to be a tight fit, though…"

"*grr* Stand back, I've got this!" Fangface said, walking over to the tunnel. Using his fang as if it were a jack-hammer, he then began to gnaw rapidly against the rock, enlarging the tunnel and making a wider path for everyone!

"Flippin' heck! What else can you do wit' those mandibles of yours?!" Drippy exclaimed.

Fangface shrugged in modesty. "Just about everything, *grr*"

"Brag later, we've got a queen to save!" Puggsy sneered, walking ahead. Fangface stuck his tongue out at him.

Walking through the tunnel, they saw the river nearby, but no sign of Cassiopeia. "The river leads deep into these caves. She might be farther down," Kim stated.

"Try to sniff her out, Fangface." Biff ordered.

"Right! *grr*" Fangface replied, then got on all fours and sniffed the ground, acting as a bloodhound. "I've got a scent of satin-fabric… some really nice perfume (I think lilac-scented?)… and- uh oh, a little blood…"

"B-Blood?!" Marcassin gasped, pale with concern.

"Yeah, but it's not human, I think- it smells more like the blood of an animal… YIKES!" Fangface jumped back, as he ended up tracing the blood scent to a dead Clubber Cub.

"Oh-!" Esther gagged. Normally creatures disappeared in a puff of smoke when beaten, in order to relocate to a safer area to regain strength… but she never saw a creature that never escaped…

"It looks like it was just killed…" Puggsy noted with a grimace. "That usually means the predator is nearby,"

"Stay close. Fangface, stick to Cassiopeia's scent," Marcassin stated. The werewolf nodded and- avoiding the corpse- went back to sniffing.

The group walked for ten minutes- though to them it seemed like ten hours. Despite the Magic Lamp spell gave off a bright glow, the caverns still seemed too dark, as if the shadows were trying to swallow the light; and outside of Fangface's sniffing, there was nothing but silence to be heard.

This unnerved Kim and Marcassin; the teenage girl wasn't used to the silence in the Cave of Woes, having her bow ready in case the mimic spoke up with someone else's voice. The young Emperor himself was more worried for Cassiopeia, straining his ears to hear her voice, even if her sobs pained him.

"Ah, knickers…" Drippy suddenly groaned, having been hopping beside Fangface to help light his way… and his lantern's light showed a pair of tunnels, the river running through both. "We've got a flippin' fork!"

"Which way do we go?" Esther asked, looking at Fangface.

The werewolf sniffed the ground… but seemed confused. "*grr* My sniffer's snuffed out- I can't tell which tunnel she's in!" he stated.

"Great, just great! What else can go wrong?!" Puggsy sneered.

The Magic Lamp spell then flickered out, leaving the group in darkness.

"Pugs, Rule Number One in life: NEVER ask what else can go wrong!" Mr. Drippy snapped.

Marcassin cast Magic Lamp, bringing the light back. "We'll have to split up, I'm afraid." He stated with a solemn expression. "It's the quickest way we can save Cassiopeia… It's a risk, but we must do what it takes,"

Biff nodded. "My friends and I can take the tunnel on the left…" he began to state.

"Hold on. We should split up evenly," Oliver spoke up. "Biff, you're still learning magic, and Puggsy only used one spell. Marcassin or Esther should go with you so you have a better magical defense,"

"He's got a point," Kim stated, counting the group. "There's nine of us altogether… I say three wizards can go down one tunnel with Horace and I, and two wizards can go with Fangface and Drippy."

"I'll go with you, Kim." Esther said.

"And you know I always stick with you," Biff added.

"I shall accompany you as well," Marcassin stated. "Now, let us make haste- Cassiopeia cannot wait another moment!"

"We'll meet back here in an hour- if anyone gets lost, use the 'Vacate' spell," Esther told the others. "And be careful!"

With that, they went down the left tunnel.

"Right-o, right down the right tunnel we go!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed. "Hop to it, boys, unless ye want to camp in a damp cave!"

"*grr* Hey, wait up!" Fangface called as the fairy hopped ahead. "Let the werewolf lead the way! Fangs before lanterns!"

"Guys, keep it down…!" Oliver told them, following suit.

Puggsy rubbed his face, taking up the rear. "…Nine people in a group, and I STILL get stuck with the nit-wolf and Fairy Big-Mouth…" he muttered.

Hopefully they'd find Cassiopeia soon.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Swaine sat by the entrance, gun in-hand, keeping an eye out for trouble. Tengri sat overhead on the cliffs- with his sharp senses, the dragon would let out a warning-roar if their enemies came near. He remained still, however, which was a good sign.

Though the thief felt otherwise. Something just didn't seem right…

He looked around at the rest of the cliffs. There were several caves, leading all over the mountains…

That's when it dawned on him. Suppose there was an alternate entrance into the Cave of Woes on the other side of the mountains?

"Shit…!" The thief cursed, causing Tengri to look at him in alarm. "There might be another way inside the caves!"

"Kyah!" Tengri swooped down, looking at the cave, then at the thief.

Swaine looked at the cave as well, trying to think. He couldn't just rush in there- he'd have a hell of a time climbing down, and he would get lost in the dark within a split second. "It's too dark…"

Tengri looked around, then reached his neck down, prying a dead branch off the top of the cliff. Dropping it to the ground, he breathed fire on the tip of it, creating a make-shift torch for the thief.

Swaine picked it up, looking into the cave. "Thanks… now how should I get down?"

Tengri tapped his snout against the gun's grappling hook, then grabbed the hook-part with his mandibles- careful not to bite it off.

The elder prince nodded. "Smart dragon. …Alright, I'll be right back,"

Stepping onto the ledge, Swaine pulled the trigger while leaning back, making the cord cast out like a fishing line. He then planted his feet onto the wall, catching himself and climbing downward, torch in one hand, gun in the other. Once he reached the ground, he gave the cord a tug, giving the dragon the signal to let go so the hook could retract.

Holding up the torch, he looked around. The caves were dark- the light of the torch barely lit up half the cavern he was in. Cautiously, he walked forward, seeing a tunnel up ahead that led to an underground river.

"Marcassin! Oliver!" Swaine called, his voice echoing.

No answer.

Biting his lip, he began to follow the river…

" _Swaine…? I-Is that you…?"_

The thief paused, looking over. The voice came from a tiny precipice behind him.

"Cassiopeia…?" Swaine called, peering inside…

Something grabbed him by the collar, yanking him into the pit-

The torch was dropped, the fire dying out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Marcassin paused, turning around. "I heard something!" he gasped, looking behind him. The group paused to listen.

"What was it?" Biff asked.

"It sounded like Gascon calling for us… He might be in trouble!"

Esther shook her head. "If there was trouble, he would either be trying to fight on his own, or running screaming through the caverns." She commented. "Tengri would be roaring too- we can't be out of earshot this far down, yet."

"Horace, can you double back and check?" Kim asked the ghost; the Sage of Ages nodded, going back down the tunnel.

They continued onward, reaching a dead-end within five minutes. There was no sign of Cassiopeia anywhere; they checked along the walls for any wide crevices or hidden tunnels (as Esther claimed there were some in the icy caves of the Glittering Grotto), but found none.

Turning around, they went back down the tunnel; the Magic Lamp spell once again faded out, the young Emperor tried to cast it again but found he ran out of magicka. Esther handed him an iced coffee, then cast the spell herself, and they went down the left tunnel.

"I hope the others-" Kim began to state.

"-found Cassiopeia!" came Horace's voice from behind them.

"What?" Esther gasped, astonished.

"Quick! She's badly injured! Hurry!"

The foursome ran forth, following his voice. It wasn't until a minute later Marcassin slowed down. "Wait a minute…" he said. "…Did someone use a Spirit Medium spell on Horace?"

"I don't think so, why?" Biff asked.

"Then… how can we hear his voice?"

They received an answer when Esther shrieked, seeing the mimicking creature leap down in front of them. It cackled… and spoke in Swaine's voice. " _I can't believe you lot were dumb enough to fall for that!"_ it chided.

"Do not speak in my brother's voice…!" Marcassin snapped, trying to cast an Arrow of Light, but was still too low on magicka.

"We have to find the others- RUN!" Kim shouted… then shot an arrow at the monster, hitting it in the leg.

While the monster snarled in pain, they ran down the tunnel as fast as they could.

The monster snarled, then leaped up onto a ledge, going through a smaller tunnel in the wall.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Not knowing their friends were in danger, the others had reached the end of the river- or rather, the start of it. They entered another cavern with a few more tunnels in the walls… and a waterfall running down out of a higher tunnel… which led outside.

"Look, another entrance!" Oliver pointed out.

"Which means there's a chance those creepos came through here…" Puggsy noted, and looked at Fangface. "Got a trace of anything?"

Fangface tried to sniff around, but the moisture in the caverns clogged his senses. "It's too misty in here," he replied, then sniffled. "I may have to take some nasal decongestant later *grr*… whatever that is,"

Puggsy shook his head, then looked at the rest of the tunnels. "It's going to take us a million years to find Cassiopeia in all these tunnels,"

"I don't sense a trace of her anywhere here, mun." Drippy spoke up. "My fairy-instincts en't picking up any mystical readings 'round here."

Puggsy gawked. "Are you saying you can sense other people's presences?!"

"No, but I can sense magic, like. It's how I help Ollie-boy take down enemies- find out what kind of magicka they're strong against, an' have him give 'em a heaping helping of th' opposite kind to weaken 'em! And as powerful as Cassie is, she's easy to sense!"

The short teen was about to pop a blood vessel at this point. "So… we came all the way down this tunnel searchifying for her… even though you couldn't sense her this way AT ALL?!"

"Take it easy, mun! It's not like I can sense anyone at long-distance!"

"I oughtta kick you into the river-!"

" _Go on an' try it, ya rotter!"_

"That's it!" Puggsy stormed over.

Oliver stepped in front of him. "Wait-!" he began to say.

" _Outta the way, kid! I'm about to flatten your fairy!"_

"What the…?" Puggsy paused.

"Ooh ooh, hey Pugs! How can you talk without moving your lips? *grr* Are you a ventriloquist?" Fangface asked.

" _It's not him, ya fanged-fuzzbrained-furball!"_ Drippy snapped… though the voice came in the opposite direction from where the fairy stood.

"Alright, who's doing th' impressions?!" The real fairy snapped.

"Look!" Oliver pointed upward at a ledge, where the mimic was. "It's one of the monsters from before!"

"Where's Cassiopeia, you copycat-creep?!" Puggsy snarled.

"Who wants to know, lame-brain?" The creature snapped in the teen's voice.

"Why don't you come down here and fight?!" Fangface snarled.

The mimic copied the werewolf's voice in response, "*grr* YOU come up and fight, or are you scared?"

The werewolf growled, then held up his sword. "Time to see what this thing can do!" he then ran after it.

"Fangface, hold on-!" Oliver called, racing after him.

Too late. The monster ran through a small tunnel… and the werewolf followed. "Flippin' heck- doesn't that wolf know not to go it alone in battles?!" Drippy exclaimed.

There came footsteps, as the others came running in. "The monster was just in the tunnel!" Biff told them.

"We know- he just ran down another, and Fangface went after him!" Oliver replied.

"Which tunnel?" Kim asked.

"That one up there-" Puggsy began to say.

*Thud!*

…until, just then, Fangface fell on top of him. "Oof! …*grr* I think I took a wrong turn," the werewolf grunted.

"Fangface, you can't just rush after the monster alone!" Esther scolded. "You could have gotten hurt!"

" _Yeah, learn to think for once!"_ Esther's voice echoed in the caves… though it seemed to be coming from all the tunnels.

"Where is it…?" Kim asked.

" _Why don't you use one of your spells to find it, if you're so smart?"_ came Swaine's voice, then it switched to Biff's. _"Or get back to finding Cassiopeia- if she's still alive!"_

"Is mocking all you're good for?!" Puggsy snapped, his own voice echoing. "Or are you just too weak to fight?!"

"Weak? Ha!" the creature snapped back in Puggsy's voice. "If you're so tough, put out the lights- or are you scared of the dark?"

As if on cue, the Magic Lamp spell wore off once more, casting the group in darkness. "Alright, it's dark now- so come out and fight, you wimp!" Esther shouted.

The monster responded in her voice. "A wimp, am I? …Could a wimp do THIS!?"

Something was thrown in front of the group… it was another bloodied corpse of a wild creature- this time an ulk.

"If I can take down some wild beasts… imagine what I could do to a bunch of kids!" the monster echoed in all their voices… then lunged out of the darkness, tackling Fangface! "Give me the wand!"

"Hands off the material, freak!" Fangface snarled, grabbing the monster by the beak and throwing him overhead; it only turned around and lunged at him, the two creatures brawling.

Acting fast, the others leaped into action. Oliver cast Arrow of Light, causing the mimic to shriek in pain… but the spell only made it angry, and it ran towards the young wizard; he cast Magic Lamp just in time, making the creature take off down the tunnel whence they just came.

"After it!" Biff exclaimed, and they ran after the monster.

"I got it! I got it!" Fangface exclaimed, running ahead with great speed and catching the monster by its tail… though at the speed it was going, the werewolf ended up being dragged along! "Whoa! Where are the breaks on this thing?!"

The creature ran along the walls then, its chimpanzee arms grabbing ledges, while it's goat-hooves tried to knock Fangface off its tail, though the werewolf managed to avoid a kick to the face.

Kim summoned Mavis, having her familiar fly up and attack the creature; just like before, her familiar cast a flash of light, making the creature miss an outcrop and hit the ground. Fangface summoned Eclipse, having his familiar provide backup. The Astralynx used 'Mighty Light', causing a brighter light to flash bright enough to light up the whole caves, making the monster screech.

The monster then arched its back, the feathers shooting out like quills- flying through to air like arrows. The teens had little time to dodge, the feathers impaling them in the shoulders, legs, or arms. Only Fangface managed to dodge… and watched as the others began to slump on the ground. "Guys! *grr* Are you okay?!" he called.

"I… can't move…!" Esther cried, sitting against the wall.

"My body feels numb…" Biff grunted, trying to stay standing, but fell onto his stomach.

"Did you think I had no way to defend myself?!" The creature snarled… though this time, mimicked no one, its voice low and menacing. "My poisoned feathers numb enemies faster than morphine… One more shot, and it'll kill you all!"

Fangface snarled and Eclipse hissed. "No one hurts my friends…!" the werewolf growled, his voice dark. He then lunged at the monster…

The creature reared up its legs and kicked him in the chest. The Astralynx tried to attack it, but the monster managed to catch it by the throat; the werewolf gasped, feeling the effects of his familiar getting strangled. "This has been fun… but I'm taking the wand now," the mimic scoffed, then reached for Fangface's cap…

"OI, COPYCAT!" came a shout, and Drippy jumped through the air, landing on the creature's head and shining his lantern in its face! "Ya forgot someone!"

The creature thrashed around, releasing the Astralynx; able to breathe again Fangface picked up his sword, swinging it downward and slicing the creature's back, shaving off a few feathers!

The monster yanked Drippy off its face, throwing it at the werewolf and knocking him back. However, Eclipse ended up attacking its face next! The werewolf summoned back his familiar, sensing it was starting to tire out, then raised his sword, Drippy on his head and shining his lantern bright…

"F-Fangface!" Oliver gasped; unable to point, he motioned with his eyes across the ground.

The werewolf froze, noticing his cap had fallen off… right between him and the mimic.

The creature rushed forth at the same time the werewolf did, both of them an inch away from grabbing the cap that held Serpens…

A light then shot by, causing the creature to stagger back. The ball of light swirled around the creature, causing it to panic, before shooting upward and diving down, striking the creature in the face! The light caused the monster sheer agony, and it shot off into another tunnel before it could take any more damage.

Everyone looked over to where the light came from… seeing Horace standing there. The ghost waved his staff, casting a spell that cured everyone of their numbness; Biff then cast Spirit Medium, as the ghost was trying to say something.

"It turns out I do have more tricks up my sleeves," Horace stated.

"What did you do…?" Esther asked, amazed.

"I seem to have found some spiritual abilities I did not know I had. …I will have to remember to look into them once we return to the Ivory Tower. Right now, however, we must help Cassiopeia,"

"Oh no… we never found her!" Kim gasped. "She wasn't down our tunnel, or the other one-"

"But we did find her. …Well, Swaine did, to be specific. Come with me- he needs assistance,"

Exchanging curious glances, everyone followed Horace up the river, where he led them to a precipice; as they walked, the ghost explained how he went to find out if Swaine was in danger or not, when he heard heavy sobs.

Cassiopeia, it appeared, had wandered up-river and fallen into a pit- perhaps falling unconscious before the group arrived; she came to, just in time for Swaine to enter the caves, hearing him calling out. As soon as she noticed it was truly the thief and not some trick of the mimic's, she was so overcome with relief that she tried to leap at him- only to find that her ankle was broken, and only managed to grab his shirt before falling back down… taking him with.

At the precipice, the group looked down, seeing the thief holding a trembling, weeping witch queen. Oliver cast 'Levitate' to help them both out of the pit, and Esther used her harp to heal Cassiopeia's ankle, as well as a few scrapes and bruises she gained from wandering around the caves.

However, the former White Witch was still in a state of shock. "Is it you…? No, it can't be… but it has to be… is this a dream? A nightmare? W-Will I ever wake up…?" she was whimpering.

"My queen, please be still. You are safe now," Horace assured her. "Can you tell us what happened?"

"Zodiarchs… the voices… they… they're trying to control me!" Cassiopeia began to shake uncontrollably, clutching her head. "No… make them stop! Make them stop…!"

"Cassiopeia!" Marcassin placed his arms around her. "It's alright! There are no Zodiarchs… It was just a trick one of Tobias' minions used,"

Cassiopeia still sobbed. "I can still hear them… make them stop… please…!"

The young sage looked at the others."How do we help her?" Kim asked.

"Getting the hell out of here would be a good start," Swaine answered.

Biff held up his wand, looked through the Wizard's Companion, and cast Vacate. Tengri whimpered, sensing distress. "It's okay, Tengri… We're taking her home, alright?" Oliver stated. "I have to use a spell to get us there- I don't think Cassiopeia will be ready to fly, yet."

"Kyah," The dragon replied with a nod of understanding, then shot off into the skies, flying ahead so that he would be at the Ivory Tower, whenever the group felt like flying again.

Oliver then cast Fast Travel, and they disappeared.


	17. Late Night Conversations

"How is she doing?" Biff asked Marcassin as he exited one of the guest rooms.

It had been three hours since the group returned to the Porcine Palace; the Ivory Tower was out of the question, as the castle in the sky was still a ransacked mess, and Cassiopeia needed a stable fortress to recuperate in.

"She is asleep now; Esther played some soothing melodies in order to help clear her head of dark memories," The young Sage answered, before shaking his head bitterly. "I should have gone to her personally the moment Serpens came into view. Perhaps she would not have undergone such suffering had we been with her sooner,"

"I know… Kim went through the same thing. But at least we found her in time-"

"Did we?" Marcassin gave him a critical look. "I should inform you that Queen Cassiopeia does not use the same kind of magic as we do; her magic is rare, of the Psyche Arcane. She can bring forth live illusions from memories… and if not taken care of in time, those illusions can gain a mind of their own, and take over from within." He looked out the window at the enclosed city below. "I've seen it happen… When the Zodiarchs corrupted her mind."

"Who are the Zodiarchs?"

"They were once an evil council that existed over 10,000 years ago, when Cassiopeia was but a child who fell into rule when her father passed away…" Marcassin paused a beat, a faraway look in his eye. "She wanted to do good for her kingdom, but was deceived by the council whom she trusted. Her kingdom fell, and in her despair she became the White Witch, recreating the Zodiarchs from her memories, living in isolation yet still managing to do damage without showing herself; instead she had Shadar, the Dark Djinn, do her bidding for some time before his defeat.

"Afterwards did she try to destroy the world herself… Oliver was the one who managed to find a way to save her, remind her of her true self and restore her to her former glory." He looked back down the hall. "I just pray she does not forget that, after this experience."

Biff looked down the hall, lost in thought for a moment before responding. "If she did lose herself… she wouldn't have been calling to us, right? We would have seen any signs that she changed, wouldn't we?"

Marcassin gave a nod. "I suppose you are right. Pardon my negativity… it's just I can relate to her predicament- having lost a father, hiding from others, forgetting who I was and meant to be... It has a way of weighing down the heart with despair. …Yet I was fortunate- I had a brother, friends, and subjects who still saw the best in me, even when I couldn't see it myself. Cassiopeia had no one,"

"But she does now," Biff rested a hand on his shoulder. "With friends like you, I doubt she'd revert back,"

The young Sage gave a smile. "Thank you, Biff."

Biff gave a nod, heading to his room. "We'd better get some sleep. It's been a rough night,"

"Go and rest. I will get my sleep once I find out how Cassiopeia is doing," With that, the young Sage entered the room Cassiopeia was sleeping in.

Biff turned to go to his room; halfway down the hall, a thought occurred to him, and he looked back into the room. "Did you say she was around ten thousand-" he began to question, though stopped himself.

Marcassin was seated at Cassiopeia's bedside, his head resting on his folded arms on the edge, while one of his hands lightly grasped hers. He had drifted to sleep at her side.

Biff smiled, backing away. "Never mind," he whispered to himself, heading to bed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was early dawn when Kim got up; despite the terrors of the previous day, she was unable to resume sleep once she awoke.

Outside of the heavy machinery within the palace, all seemed quiet as she exited her room, walking down the hallway. She considered taking a walk around the city, but after her first run-in with that dreaded mimic, she dared not to wander around alone- even if the beast retreated back into the depths of its cave last night, how was she sure it wouldn't return? True, Hamelin was a well-built fortress… but considering those creatures managed to get into a place like the Ivory Tower, she had to remain cautious.

"You're up early,"

Kim gasped, turning around… though sighed with relief when she noticed it was just the fairy, Drippy. "Oh, Drippy… please don't do that. You startled me," she said, taking a breath.

"Sorry, dab, didn't mean to spook ya," The Lord High Lord of the Fairies toddled beside her, both of them walking down the corridor. "I was just taking some rounds, figured I'd keep a sharp eye out for any sneakin' beasties,"

"That is a good idea… I know I can't sleep after what happened," She wrapped her arms around herself. "…I'm worried about Queen Cassiopeia too. Being down there for God knows how long must have really traumatized her- I barely lasted a night!"

"Believe me, Kimmy, we've all had our fair-shares of traumatizing treks. But what matters is we all managed to get through 'em A-OK, an' th' experience left us all stronger, even braced us for more dangers such as now!"

"Ha ha, we've faced more than a few scares ourselves in our time-period," Kim rubbed her shoulders. "But I think this is more than we've bargained for."

Drippy looked at her. "Well, as they say, ya gotta roll with th' punches, like. Just keep trainin' with youer familiar, practice shooting those arrows, an' harness all th' skills ye got an' you'll have beasties runnin' from ya out on th' field!" he hopped up onto her shoulder. "Since neither of us can sleep, why don't we do just that now?"

Kim looked at a clock on the wall. "It's barely 6 AM!"

"Best time to practice- at least this way we can beat th' traffic!"

Kim sighed, but shrugged. "Alright. It's something to do at least,"

"Thatta girl! Now c'mon- th' monsters outside will be so groggy they won't expect an ambush at this houer!"

With that, the two walked out to get some early practice in.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

*clink clank, tap tap tap, crrraank-crank*

*klink*

" _Dammit,"_

Esther woke up an hour after Kim, hearing the sounds from the room next door.

Walking out, she knocked on the door. "…Come in," came Puggsy's voice. She entered, finding the short teen sitting at a desk, working on a gun. He turned his head a bit, noticing her presence. "Oh hey, Esther. What are you doing up?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing. I figured you would be fast asleep after last night," Esther replied, walking over and looking over his shoulder at his progress. "How can you work on building a gun at this hour?"

"Eh, it's easy when some mechanicalized castle is keeping you awake, as well as para-annoya caused by a bunch of monsters,"

Esther paused a beat in order to comprehend a couple words he used, before nodding. "I see. I guess I understand- if I wasn't used to being in such danger, I would have trouble sleeping too."

Puggsy scoffed. "I'm used to danger. Don't think that our world is any safer than yours- granted, we've never seen three-headed dragons or mind-controlling living puppets, but I think the 20-foot cobras and hypnotizing schwamis make it even… (stupid trigger-piece, stay on!)"

"Oh, so you do have magical creatures in your world?" Esther sat down beside him.

"Well, my best friend is a werewolf, so that should've clued everyone in."

She sneered. "Don't get cocky. …What other creatures have you've seen in your world? Have you've come across any other wizards?"

"Wizards? No. Criminals who use voodoo to turn into mist-monsters and drain people's spirits? Yes. As for creatures… mostly it's just gigantisized aminals like spiders, vultures, at one point a dinosaurus…"

"Dinocerous, you mean? …I thought you never seen a familiar in your world!"

"Dy-no-sore-us…. A dinosaur, I mean. If we had familiars in our world, chances are things would either be easier to handle or a lot more hectic."

"How could having a familiar be more hectic? If you tame enough, you could take on anything!"

"Right… but most of the time the creatures we faced were being controlled by villains. If the crooks we went after had familiars, or had a way of summoning the kinds of monsters in your world, it would take a miracle for us to beat 'em!"

Esther considered this. "True, unless all your familiars were strong enough… Plus, you're a wizard! Biff too! No criminals could beat you if you had the right spells!"

Puggsy scoffed. "I don't plan on depending on magic that much- especially since it may attract unwanted attention (hand me that screwdriver, would you?)"

Esther handed him the tool. "I'm not saying use it for everything, just when you need to." She held up her harp. "I use my harp for healing and taming, since my magic is based on the Melodic Arcane. However," she held up a wand next. "I've been practicing using Oliver's spells, so I won't have to depend on using my songs for everything. I use it often, but I only know a couple offensive song-spells."

Puggsy smirked. "You want offensive songs? Try listening to _Black Sabbath,_ that stuff will make you go deaf REAL quick," he shrugged. "…At least that's what my neighbors would yell at me,"

Esther cocked her head. "Huh?"

"It's a rock-band, you know they play heavy metal-" he paused, remembering the world he was in. "Ah, never mind. …I think you could come up with some song-spells on your own. I mean, the spells we've seen had to have been created by someone first, right?"

"That is true… But I'm going to stick to what I've started, and learn to cast spells traditionally." She then snapped her fingers. "Hey! We could both practice together! Since you can cast spells now, we can both learn some new tricks!"

Puggsy rubbed the back of his neck; in the back of his mind, he didn't really want to mess with magic. "I don't know, Esther. …I mean, I don't even have a wand!"

"I'll let you borrow mine,"

"It's too early,"

"So not many creatures will bother us,"

"I'm trying to work on my gun,"

"You can take a break,"

"I might go back to sleep…"

"You just said the palace machinery keeps you awake!"

Puggsy groaned, rubbing his face. He looked at Esther, who was giving him- if his eyesight were correct- a pouting look. "Fine… (this gun isn't going to get finished soon, anyhow)."

"Great! C'mon, I know a good place we can practice!" Grabbing him by the arm, the familiar-tamer dragged him out of the room.

"Whoa! Slow down! Can't we get some coffee, first?!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Oliver sat in his bed, looking at some pages in his Wizard's Companion; with so much going on he didn't notice the book's blank pages filled with information about the monsters they had faced, as well as the dark caves they had explored.

He was reading up on Salem, the Master of Mimicking, when he noticed a glow; outside the hall Horace was walking by. Closing the book, the young wizard followed him, casting Spirit Medium so they could speak. "What are you doing, Horace?" Oliver asked. "I figured you would be asleep,"

"Heh heh, ghosts do not sleep, Oliver… although I should try, as staying awake every night does get rather boring," Horace replied, then looked down the hall. "However, after our recent incident, I am spending my time patrolling the area. I must remain alert so this incident does not repeat… and I must make sure my queen is safe,"

Oliver rubbed his arm. "I guess you feel bad that she was kidnapped. …I-It wasn't your fault, I mean-!"

Horace nodded. "I know… but you are right- I do feel bad. Enemies infiltrated the Ivory Tower, and I was too late to save Cassiopeia… just like the past…"

Oliver bit his lip; back when Cassiopeia was a young girl, Horace was once part of the Wizard King's council, having fled after the King's death in fear that the council would turn on him. By the time he returned to help, Cassiopeia had already been tricked into using the Manna spell, and the kingdom fell.

"This is nothing like that, though." Oliver pointed out. "You didn't know they managed to sneak inside the palace- they might have tricked her to lure her out, and destroyed the inside to distract you! And what matters now is how you helped us- you even saved us from that monster with a ghost-spell! Don't worry- Cassiopeia is safe now, thanks to all of us, especially you."

Horace grinned. "Heh, always managing to lift someone's spirits, aren't you? …Speaking of Ghost Spells, I was looking into my powers… and then these appeared." He waved his hands, showing several transparent pages with strange runes printed on them.

"Jeepers! Where'd you get these?"

"They are spells of the 'Death Arcane'… Look, this is the spell I used to fend off that mimic, 'Holy Light'- used by pure-spirits to ward off evil creatures. There are also Ghost Travel, as I've shown you all before; Poltergeist, which allows me to move objects without touching them; Puppeteer, in which I can possess someone else for an amount of time; Cold Fog, in which I can make the air turn cold; and Echo, where I can make my voice sound like it's coming from everywhere,"

"Wow, and you learned all these?"

"Some time back- I just never realized I had such powers, until I wondered where my recent ones came from… and the pages just appeared. …I would lend you some, but it turns out only ghosts can use them."

Oliver looked at the spells, seeing that some were used for offense in battle, healing wounds, or causing illusions. He paused, noticing one more on a non-transparent- this one looking like an 'X' in a circle. "What's this one?"

Horace looked at it, and frowned. "It's called 'Soul Drain'- a dark spell that causes someone to steal the life-force from their soul-mate in order to prolong their life. Ghosts can't use it, but those who don't wish to become ghosts must… I had torn it out of the Wizard's Companion long ago so no one could use it."

Oliver shifted, thinking about it. "You think Lucien had used it… when he became Shadar? He broke ties with his soul-mates so he couldn't be defeated…"

Horace shook his head. "I do not believe it's the same thing. He broke ties with his soul-mates… that would be called… oh, what was it…?" A page suddenly appeared in front of him. "Ah, there we go. It's called 'Disconnect', often used by wizards who are about to die but allow their soul-mates to live; in most beliefs, it is used in hopes that said departed-soul will reincarnate as someone else's soul-mate." He handed it to Oliver. "There- this spell I'll let you have on me, no riddle required this time."

Oliver chuckled. "Thanks," He looked down the hall. "Why don't we both see how Cassiopeia is doing? You think she's awake by now?"

"She may still be sleeping… but we'd better make sure, nonetheless."

The two walked down the hall, peeking into the room Cassiopeia was in…

Horace cocked an eyebrow, and whispered to Oliver. "…any reason why the young Emperor is holding her hand in his sleep?"

"Um… let's come back later," Oliver replied, a blush forming on his face.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Fangface in the meantime had been walking around the halls- his werewolf metabolism not allowing him to sleep, especially after a fight!- when he heard Puggsy's voice. Turning around he ran to find out where his friend was going…

Ending up seeing a painting on the wall of a ship, sailing into a sunset.

Thus, Fangs returned to form. "Huh? When did I get here?" he wondered, walking down the hall. "Where is everybody?"

The tall teen walked down the hall, looking around a corner, scratching his head as he tried to figure out where this corridor led; the palace was still hard to navigate through…

Something poked him just then, making him gasp. "A bit lost, are we?" Swaine quipped, having to smirk at Fangs' frightened reaction.

"You're lost too? …But I thought you lived here!" Fangs retorted… though the thief couldn't figure out whether he was being sarcastic or stupid.

"Never mind. What are you doing awake? It's barely sunrise,"

"It is? I-I didn't even know I was asleep!" he rubbed his head. "Everything feels like a blur… all I can remember is I was sitting with Biff, looking at spells, and suddenly I find myself here! …What all happened?"

Swaine crossed his arms, pretending to think. "Well, we got a ransom-note from some monsters who kidnapped our friend Cassiopeia, you turned into a werewolf and we all went to her palace, ending up fighting the monsters, Puggsy found out he was a wizard, then we had to track down Cassiopeia to some caves where we rescued her after our ghost-friend sent that mimicking monster running… and then we all came back here."

…

If Fangs' brain were a machine, its wires would have short-circuited. At least that's how Swaine pictured it, judging from his confused expression. "What was that part… with who… where… huh?"

"You're kidding. You remember nothing about being a werewolf? At all?"

"You think I'm a werewolf?"

Swaine sighed, face-palming. "(I've dealt with idiots in the past but this one takes the cake…) …Forget I said anything. The point is our friend Cassiopeia had to be rescued, and right now is recovering- and I'm looking for Marcassin; he's normally up by now, looking over the palace agenda, unless he's having the Captain of the Guards fill in after our recent fight."

"Okay… but, um, can you repeat that part about- and I pray to God I heard you wrong- Puggsy being a wizard?"

"Trust me, I'm as worried about it as you are."

"A-And the g-g-ghost…?"

"His name is Horace. …Don't worry, he's just like any other person- only more pale (not as pale as you, but still pale…)" he gave Fangs' shoulder a shake when the teen still looked uneasy. "Oh, lighten up. You can't keep shaking like a rattle about everything! You gotta have a backbone if you want to make it in this world!" he pointed at the sword at the teen's side. "Hell, put that sword to good use! It's pretty powerful, I heard (or it should be, at the price I paid for it…)"

Fangs looked at the sword; just by touching its sheath, he felt a surge of strength. "I do like swords… but I've never really handled a real one, before! The most I've learned is what I've seen in movies!"

Swaine patted him on the back. "I can show you some basics- with a little training, you'll do better than that friend of yours did,"

"Heh, yeah, the way he was swinging that sword he looked more like he was trying to hit a piñata!"

Swaine smirked. "Aha! So you DID see our fight the other day!"

Fangs covered his mouth, realizing his mistake. "F-Fight? You guys had a fight? I had no idea…!"

"Come off it, I know you interfered… But, I'll let it slide- on one condition,"

"What's that?"

"Stop being a weakling,"

Fangs' shoulders slumped. "…I'm doomed."

"Lesson one: Don't criticize yourself- leave that to me. We'll start after breakfast," The thief then walked off.

Fangs sighed, rubbing his face. "…just HAD to accept that dare, didn't I?" he muttered to himself, going back to his room.


	18. The Catch

An hour later, Cassiopeia was sitting in the dining hall with Marcassin, Oliver, Drippy, Biff and Kim. A servant brought the Witch Queen a cup of tea to help calm her nerves, as she still felt shaken from her tribulation in the caves; she thanked the servant in a soft whisper, sipping it carefully. Horace stood beside her, still alert as if at any moment an enemy could attack- considering the circumstances, no one could blame the spirit.

"Cassiopeia, do you remember what happened?" Oliver asked once his friend was calmed down.

"I remember hearing voices the other night," Cassiopeia replied, rubbing her head. "Voices of the Zodiarchs… I had this lingering fear that they were in my head again, trying to seize control; however my fear was distinguished, but amplified when I realized an enemy had breached my fortress. …I tried to put up a fight, but something grabbed me and in a blink I disappeared; before I knew it I was in a dark cavern. I tried to cast 'Travel' and 'Vacate' to get out, but each time I was taken back. I ran out of magicka in my attempts to escape, and was trapped in the caves, hearing voices…"

"It was that mimic-monster," Kim said with a grimace. "He dragged me to those caves before, and I barely made it out!"

Cassiopeia looked up at the two teens."I must ask, who are your new companions, Oliver? I sense something different about them…"

"This is Biff and Kim. They ended up here with their friends… because of Serpens." Oliver stated. "They come from my world, but live in a different time."

"It appears Tobias' wand found its way back to this world and time," Marcassin informed Cassiopeia. "We believe it must have a hex on it; as soon as it entered our realm, monsters trained under Tobias have been attacking these teenagers, trying to gain the wand."

The Witch Queen stood, astounded. "But… how can that be? Tobias was defeated over 10,000 years ago! M-My father had him sealed away! How could anyone still be under his spell?" she wondered.

Biff pondered, coming to a realization. "Hey… You remember when we were searching for Puggsy with that spell, and that image came up?" he said to Oliver. "You claimed it was Tobias… how did you know that?"

Oliver thought. "I… I don't know. The moment I saw it, that's the first thing that came to mind."

"So th' rotter's still alive, is he?" Drippy sneered. "Crikey, these villains just don't know when to go into retirement, do they?"

Cassiopeia sat down, thinking. "That does make sense… I managed to remain in my youth for so many centuries… My kind of magic allows me to stay alive for many millennia- no different than how fairies age."

Drippy gave her a nudge with his tiny elbow. "Gonna laugh if we both have th' same birthday,"

"So wizards and witches can age differently than humans?" Biff wondered, looking at his own wand.

"Some do, it depends on the power of their magic." Marcassin stated. "Cassiopeia has astounding power, and a rare arcane. Others, such as Oliver and I, age no differently than normal people do… although, in some cases, some use dark magic to extend their life period."

"Like Shadar…" Oliver pointed out. "He severed links with his soul-mates so he couldn't die… Do you think Tobias did the same?"

Cassiopeia shook her head. "No… Shadar did so, yes, but that sort of witchcraft has a limit; he would only be able to sever 10 soul-mate links before his life-force was squandered. Did you not notice how withered and aged he looked when you last saw him, Oliver? By severing one link after another to gain life, he was throwing away another ten years off his own."

"So Tobias would only be able to stay alive for 1000 years at the most, depending on his soul-mate's lifespan." Biff guessed. "That means he must have found a different way to stay immortal,"

"Aye, now we jus' have to figure out what it was!" Drippy added.

"We should return to the archives. There must be more to the legend of Tobias than we know." Cassiopeia stated, then turned to Biff and Kim. "You said the wand Serpens brought you here… Tell me everything."

Kim spoke first, telling Cassiopeia about how the gang was looking around a shop where the wand was being used as a prop; the shopkeeper told them the tale about someone with magic touching the wand and automatically being transported elsewhere. "…Next thing we know, the four of us are in your world," Biff finished.

"I see. Then there must be a way we can banish Serpens again!"

"Lets hurry and get to banishing that sadistic sorcerer's staff, then!" Drippy exclaimed, hopping off. "Right-o, I'll go round up th' others."

"They might still be sleeping in, Mr. Drippy. We had a long night last night," Kim stated.

"Pah! Quite the contrary, mun- I saw Esther 'n' Pugs runnin' out this morning to go training! After them, ol' Thief-Face was takin' youer skinny friend out to whip him into shape as well." The fairy hopped on Biff's shoulder, whispering in his ear. "No offense, mun, but youer butties reeeaaallly need to hit th' trainin' field more- kinda outta shape when it comes to battles, they are."

"You don't know our friends very well," Biff huffed. "They might not know too much about their skills, yet, but that doesn't mean they won't stop trying!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"C'mon, Fangs, you're not even trying!"

Fangs had his sword out, running across the field as he fought monsters… though was running AWAY from them. "Help! Get it away before it- OOF!" he was hollering, when suddenly a Sore Boar ran up from behind and knocked his feet out from under him! He scrambled to his hands and knees, rushing to get away. "Nice piggy! Nice piggy! I-I promise I'll never eat pork again! SWAINE, HELP!"

Swaine face-palmed, then took aim and hit the Sore Boar with a Mug Shot, making it hit the ground and disappear in a puff of smoke. He then walked over to Fangs, who was on his knees, his arms covering his head. He kicked him in the rear. "Get up, Fangs! You can't just keep running from danger- sooner or later you'll have to face it,"

"I'll choose 'later'… by 100 years!"

The ex-thief sighed. "I've seen earthworms with more spine than you,"

Fangs stood up. "Well, what do you expect?! You don't just drag a guy out into the field, give him a sword, and say 'Have at it'!" he held up his blade. "I barely know how to use this thing! I thought you said you were going to teach me how to use it!"

"I am, but I had to see how well you could handle it first." Swaine guided him around back, where he had been training with Kim before. "That sword is pretty powerful- you should be able to take out the creatures by here with one swing! Problem is you don't have the guts to use it- we can't work on your technique if you're too scared to see what you've got,"

The lanky teen sighed. "I can't help it… I see a monster coming at me, and I run. I'm not strong enough to fight!"

Swaine scoffed. "Neither was I, but that didn't stop me," he walked over and grabbed a couple long poles, tossing one to Fangs (who fumbled to catch it). "But our trial-run proved your lack of _modus operandi_ , we might as well start at the basic level."

"My lack of what…?"

Swaine held up his pole like a sword. "Never mind. I'm going to grow you a backbone if my name isn't Prince Gascon of Hamelin-Autumnia!"

Fangs arched an eyebrow. "I thought your name was 'Swaine'!"

"Just shut up and watch me!"

"Alright, alright! Sheesh!" Fangs said, while muttering to himself, "(great, not another one…)"

Swaine gave him a sharp glare. "What was that?!"

"N-Nothing!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

While Swaine and Fangs were starting from square-one in their training, Esther and Puggsy were passing the novice level in theirs.

A Sprog-Cog was coming at them, only to be head-butted into a boulder by Rex; a Tin-Man was coming at them next, only to be hit with a 'Pulse' spell, making it fall to pieces. "That's great, Puggsy! But remember, you don't have to use too much magicka. Your aura is pretty strong now- you could probably take out creatures here with just your familiar," Esther was saying.

Puggsy looked over the list of spells Esther had shared with him; Oliver had given copies to her when she started training with her wand, and she lent both to Puggsy to help him master a few spells. "I was aiming to use 'Fireball'," he muttered. "How can you guys mesmerize these spells so easily?"

Esther shrugged. "Once you're familiar with the runes, all you have to do is think about them and cast the spell," she sat down beside him on the remains of a crumbled wall. "Trust me, I'm still learning too- I'm just better with my harp and familiars, so I never had much experience with a wand before."

"If you're already good at something, why try to do something different?"

"Well… in case I ever need to," Rex came over, and she rubbed his head, making the Dinocerous growl softly in satisfaction. "My father's a Great Sage… Someday, I may become one as well. Even if I don't, it's still important to know something- I won't be travelling with other wizards forever, so I'll have to learn how to use a wand."

The tough teen rested his face on his knuckles. "Does everyone in this world rely on magic? Suppose you can't use it at all, then what do you do?"

"Not everyone uses it; Swaine never does, and a few of our friends go without it- of course, they do use Familiars. They also carry their own weapons,"

"So, why don't you? Don't you have a knife or something?"

Esther shook her head. "I only buy weapons for my familiars. I wouldn't have much luck with any heavy weapons, anyway- they'd be too cumbersome for me to carry in a fight."

Puggsy rubbed his chin, then snapped his fingers; he reached into his back pocket, pulling out a pocket knife. "Try this. It's not much, but it's easy to use."

"Oh!" Esther gave a jolt as she pushed a switch, watching the blade pop out. She examined it. "Very nice… Have you used it before?"

He shook his head. "Nah… I never saw a use for it till now. You can borrow it, see how it works for you."

She smiled at him. "Thanks!" she looked at her wand, handing it to him. "Here, you can borrow my wand in the meanwhile. I'm sure you'll take to it quicker than I will."

"If you insist…"

"Aw, ain't this sweet." Came a familiar voice, and they looked over to see Drippy walking over with Oliver. "Ye two come out for trainin', and end up exchanging gifts."

"Oliver!" Esther stood up, walking over. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, Cassiopeia is fine. Everyone wants to return to the archives," Oliver replied. "We may know a way to banish Serpens again!"

Puggsy flinched and covered the boy's mouth. "Easy with the news, Ollie- those monstrosized creeps could be spying on us from anywhere," he hissed.

"Pugs has a point, mun. C'mon, lets find Thief-Face and Fangface and get goin'," Drippy said, hopping off.

As they walked, a couple Sore Boars came running at them. Puggsy gripped the wand and waved it- a fireball shooting out and striking one down, while Rex punched the other, both disappearing. The teen grinned, a bit triumphant. "Nice shot, Puggsy!" Oliver complimented.

"Eh, I guess it just comes natural to me," Puggsy bragged.

"Don't get cocky. You still have a lot to learn," Esther scoffed.

"Alright, alright. Excusify me for high spirits,"

"There's enthusiasm, then there's boasting…"

"I wasn't boasting! My wizard-skills probably just unlocked my instinctations,"

"Or it's because I've been helping you practice…"

"Well, yeah, that too…"

"Hmph!"

"(Crikey, we've got another one…)" Drippy whispered to Oliver, watching the light banter.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once everyone was back in the palace, Cassiopeia cast the spell to take them back to the Ivory Tower. Horace went in ahead, using his ghost-powers to teleport from one room to another; after ten minutes of scouting around, he assured the group the area was clear, and they hurried to the secret library.

Cassiopeia grabbed the scroll describing the tale of Tobias, showing it to the others. "Here's where my father banished Serpens…" she said, using her finger to go over every line. "But… I don't see any mention of the spell listed anywhere."

"I think we need a little more 'Insight' on this," Drippy quipped, nudging Oliver. "Show 'em how it's done, Ollie-boy!"

Oliver nodded, waving his wand and casting 'Insight' on the scroll… suddenly knew words appeared. _"In order to banish the evil spell, Nilrem used a combination of Gateway and Time Travel, 'Alt-Uni',"_ he read, seeing the rune appear. "There it is!"

"Well then, lets banish this staff once more, and find a way to get our guests back to their home." Marcassin stated, raising Mornstar and casting the rune on Serpens… but it flickered out. "Huh? It didn't work!"

"Your wand may not be strong enough. Let me try," Oliver said, using Astra… but got the same results. "What? Mine isn't working either!"

"Please, allow me. Perhaps my magic is powerful enough…" Cassiopeia said, speaking the incantation. "Alt-Uni!"

The wand began to glow, but the light flickered out. "…please tell me you just need more coffee." Puggsy hoped.

"Um… everyone? There's more on the scroll!" Biff said, looking over the scroll once more. "It says here that the combination of the two spells was so powerful, a new wand had to be crafted in order to use it!"

"Oh… GREAT!" Swaine said, covering his face with his hands while arching back in disbelief. "We have a slim of a chance, but no one has a powerful enough wand!"

"…I wonder how much rent is in this world," Fangs sighed.

"Don't give up yet! Maybe we can make a new wand, too!" Kim assured, turning to the others. "Can't we?"

"We'd have to find a wandsmith… and there hasn't been one around for years." Marcassin sighed.

"What about this wand the king used?" Oliver asked, looking at the scroll. "It's called… 'Novas',"

Biff continued to read. "It says here that the wand was so powerful, that after Serpens was banished, Nilrem had to put it away in a safe place, worried that if anyone else were to use it they could go mad with power. He handed it over to the Supreme Sage at that time, Uzzia, who had it hidden away, and the wand was never spoken of again."

"Crikey, we could've used that when saving th' world th' first couple o' times." Drippy scoffed.

"The Supreme Sage…? You think Solomon might know about it?" Oliver asked.

"It can't hurt to ask," Esther replied, as Marcassin bound Serpens in thick cloth to help keep the evil wand concealed.

"Off to the Temple, then…" Swaine replied.

"Can't we take a break from the travelling?" Fangs asked. "I've been to weird cat-kingdoms, mountains, over cliffs, airborne on dragons, and inside mechanical castles… and I've barely been here three days!"

"Ah, can it! Once this whole ordeal is over with, we'll be back home." Puggsy sneered.

"Let's not waste time, then." Marcassin said.

"Horace, stay here and guard the Archives," Cassiopeia ordered. The ghost gave a firm nod.

The group then cast Travel, disappearing from the library.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

" _Salem- Master of Mimicry, able to use the voice of 1000 people; Titan- Three Headed Master of Deceit, able to misguide even the most focused minds; The Puppeteer- Master of Mind-Control, able to make anyone do his bidding; Percephony, Master of Disappearances- vanishing in the blink of an eye, unable to be traced by others…_

" _All these once-great Guardians at my disposal… and yet, you could not handle the task of grabbing a simple wand?!"_

_The voice of Tobias echoed from the pit, as the aforementioned monsters surrounded it, having been summoned for council. "My liege, in our defense, our foes have proved stronger than we believed-" Percephony began to state._

" _Silence, wretch! Our master speaks!" came another booming voice from the pit._

" _(Calm yourself, Devion). It is clear that our foes are quite… stubborn, as the past few days have shown. Yet the folly falls upon the rest of you- you have great strength and power, there is no reason behind allowing those fools to live!" Tobias snapped._

" _It is… in our code, sir." The Puppeteer replied in shame. "As Guardians, even former Guardians, we are disallowed from killing others- we are only allowed to use our powers and strengths to subdue them to unconsciousness. But, as my comrade stated before, our foes have great spirits that cannot be broken."_

" _Then bring them to this isle… separately. This Island of Damnation has enough dark aura to bring them to their knees. Perhaps here, you will each have greater chances of defeating them." Came Devion's voice. "That is… if it suits my master's need,"_

" _Very well thought-out, my friend. Bring them all here- we shall see how they fare on my land," Tobias chuckled._

_With that, the monsters dispersed._


	19. A Broken Wand, A New Bond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Anyone who has seen or heard of the anime Kyo Kara Maoh! will understand a joke I used here XD Apologies in advance to Swaine and Puggsy!

Fangs blinked, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight. Having been used to wandering around the foggy skies of Hamelin, the sudden exposure to the hot desert sun almost blinded him! "Where are we now?" he asked, looking around at the gorge the group appeared in. Up ahead was a temple, making him think they were in Arabia. "Did we end up in Asia, or something?"

"This is the Temple of Trials. It's where Master Solomon resides," Esther explained not only to Fangs, but the group. "This is where Oliver and I had to train before we started travelling together, but now Solomon holds Familiar Tournaments. People from all over the world have taken part in them!"

"Why did you guys have to train?" Biff asked.

"It was to help me with my magic. We had to take the Trials of Friendship, Wisdom and Strength in order to prove our potential," Oliver stated. "I don't think you guys will need to, though. Once we banish-" he caught himself, looking around. "…I mean, he'll be able to help us get you guys back home, so you won't be here for much longer."

"Indeed. We are only here on business, after all. And with the trials you have faced so far, I do not think they would be recommended." Marcassin concurred as they walked up the steps, entering a long corridor that led to the throne room.

The gang looked around at the stunning design of the entrance hall. "It's like a palace," Kim commented in awe.

"That was the intention, idiot." Came a voice, and they looked ahead… seeing a small, green-skinned person with long pointed ears sitting on a throne.

"Who's this imp? And who're ya callin' an idiot?" Puggsy sneered.

"Um… everyone… this is Master Solomon," Oliver introduced, awkwardly.

"THIS is Master Solomon?" Fangs questioned, astounded. "He's an elf!"

"Quiet, you blathering fool! …Oliver! I wish it were nice to see you again, but your current company has done anything worth noting. What is your business here? The tournaments are only at the end of the week- or did that go over your head?"

"N-No sir, we've come here to ask for your help," Oliver spoke up.

Solomon sat up straight. "My help? With what? You've already taken the Trials… What, do your new friends here wish to do the same? Sorry to burst your bubble, but they seem a little too old to learn new tricks."

"(If this guy makes one more remark, I'm drop-kicking him)," Puggsy whispered in warning.

"Master Solomon, please." Cassiopeia stated, stepping forth.

"Ah, the Witch Queen… to what do I owe the honor of the ruler of the fallen city of Nazcaa?" Solomon asked, resting his face on his fist. "…Make it quick."

"Sir, we are in need of a wand. Centuries ago, the last Supreme Sage had possession of it. Novas, it was called."

"Novas?" Solomon's eyes widened; not a glimmer of cynicism in his eye as he looked at them. Quickly, he shook his head. "Bah! Nothing but a myth. And even if it did exist, I don't see why any of you need it- you already have powerful enough wands! What would you need another one for?"

"To banish this!" Swaine snapped, taking the wrapped-up Serpens and unveiling it.

Solomon gasped, standing up and backing away in his throne. "ACK! W-W-WHERE DID YOU GET THAT THING?! …Put it away, you stupid dolt!"

"(Jeepers! I've never seen Solomon terrified before!)" Oliver whispered to Esther and Drippy.

"(Proof that he knows what we're talking about, like)." Drippy said with a smirk.

"Master Solomon, sir?" Biff spoke up, clearing his throat. "That wand was in our world in our time. It brought us here, and now Tobias and his monsters are after it. We need Novas to banish it once and for all, and get back home!"

Solomon took a deep breath, composing himself. "Hmph. So that legend was true… ugh, and of course it had to happen during my time as Supreme Sage. Alright, follow me!" he groused, standing up and walking down a hall. Everyone followed him, until they reached a dead end. He then clasped his hands together. _"Passage to Novas, open once more- abra-ca-door-bra!"_

Everyone watched as runes glowed on the ground, before a secret trap door appeared, lifting up and revealing a hidden staircase. However, it was very narrow, so small that only Drippy would be able to fit through! "Um… how are we supposed to fit?" Oliver asked.

"This is the Sacred Room of the Sages, only a Supreme Sage can enter! (stupid boy) Wait here, I'll be back." With that, Solomon walked down the stairs, the door closing behind him.

"…Well, he's an asshole."Puggsy sneered.

"Oh, hush! He's helping us out," Esther scolded, looking at both him and Fangs. "And the two of you should watch your mouths! Those comments you made reflected poorly on your character,"

"Well, excuse us, but you could've given us a heads up that the Supreme Sage was a kid! I've got a baby cousin almost bigger than he is!" Fangs retorted.

"W-We kind of made the same mistake too, Esther. Remember? We thought his servant Umbopa was the sage?" Oliver stated.

Esther thought back. "That is true… but we didn't make any rude comments!"

"He probably made enough for everyone," Puggsy scoffed.

"I'm with the guys. He has no right to talk down on people like that, Supreme Sage or not!" Kim huffed, crossing her arms.

"Ehhh, true, he may be a cocky so-and-so, but he en't so heartless. Might call names 'n' such, but never hesitates to lend his services." Drippy stated. "Th' best defense is to keep it polite- keep swapping insults, an' folks won't know who th' real cheeky one is, like."

"Right. He's helping us get home, so that's all that matters." Biff agreed.

"Alright, fine… (hate it when someone's allowed to be a bastard)," Puggsy muttered.

"I know that from experience," Fangs said out of the corner of his mouth.

Puggsy looked at him sharply. "What was that?"

Fangs casually looked away. "Nothing, nothing,"

The trap door opened, and Solomon stepped out, holding a polished oak box. "Here it is… the wand you're looking for." He said, opening the box.

They peered in… and gawked. "The wand… it's… it's broken in pieces!" Oliver gasped.

"Well of course it is, you twit! Novas was such a powerful wand that the last Supreme Sage had to break it apart, so none would be drawn to its power."

"Can you put it back together?" Kim asked.

"I could… but unfortunately Supreme Sages are born to train wizards, not make wands."

"Well, a Rejuvenate spell might handle this. Have at it, Ollie-boy!" Drippy exclaimed. Oliver nodded, casting the spell… but nothing happened. "Er, try again!"

Solomon rolled his eyes. "A simple rejuvenation spell will not work, you ignorant fairy. Wands can only be fixed by a wandsmith!"

"Do you know of any, Master Solomon? It is urgent that we have it fixed right away!" Marcassin inquired.

"Hmph. I figured you and your brother could put it together- both of you managed to put the finishing touches on the Clarion, did you not? Wand-mending is a combination of mechanics and magicka, spell-casting and handcrafting… if you two imbeciles can't do it, then consider yourselves out of luck."

"We can try," Swaine sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What about Serpens?" Cassiopeia asked. "Is it possible for us to lock it up here, until Novas is restored?"

"Of course not! The Sacred Room of Sages may be inaccessible to other wizards such as yourselves, but blackmagic-wielding dolts like Tobias would find corrupt ways to break in- even destroy the temple! …And I just had the floors polished." Solomon scoffed. "Rebuild Novas, banish that wand and send your friends home… then once it's business is done, bring it back- no trying to hi-jack it, either! Using it for selfish purposes will weaken its magic, and it will become no more useful than a twig."

"My father must have made it that way," Cassiopeia figured, rubbing her chin.

"Yes, well, good for him. Now, be on your way! And keep that cursed wand out of sight, you suicidal maniacs!"

"We will, sir. Thank you!" Biff said with a bow, and the group exited the temple.

"Well, back to Hamelin, then…" Swaine stated, shaking his head.

"Hold on…" Cassiopeia replied, pondering. "Solomon said only a wandsmith could rebuild Novas… I do not believe the two of you combined will be enough."

"What do you mean? Marcassin has the magic, and I have the craftsmanship!"

"I agree, what could we be missing?" Marcassin asked.

"I might be over-thinking, but in my time we had many wandsmiths… and they had to master both at once in order to make wands." Cassiopeia replied.

"Seriously?! Swaine and Marcassin said they could do it together! Let them give it a try!" Puggsy sputtered.

"Yeah, yeah! Let them give it a try! I want to go home!" Fangs begged.

"I do not have doubts in their skills, but by doing each part separately could cause a disruption for Novas." Cassiopeia stated. "It's no different than… well, two people trying to do alchemy- without enough concentration, there could be an imbalance."

"Alchemy… Wait! Al-Khemi! He might be able to do it!" Oliver exclaimed. "Cassiopeia, would a cauldron genie be able to fix Novas?"

"I don't know… we could ask him and find out,"

"You guys have a GENIE too?" Fangs exclaimed. "Ooh! Ooh! Does he grant wishes?"

"Grant wishes…? Crikey, first it's fairies havin' wings, now genies granting wishes… what sort o' magical nonsense do ye live on in youer time, mun?" Drippy commented.

"Well, let's meet him and see if he can help." Biff said upon clearing his throat.

Oliver looked in his bottomless bag, searching around for a bit. "Uh oh…" he gasped, something dawning on him.

"Don't say 'Uh oh!' Never say 'Uh oh!' If you say 'Uh oh!;, that means…!" Fangs stammered.

"…I don't have his cauldron, anymore."

"What?! Blimey, Oliver, you've always carried his cauldron with you!" Swaine exclaimed.

"I-I forgot! After I returned to Motorville, I-I didn't really have any use for his cauldron. So… Al-Khemi wanted to go into business, somewhere." Oliver replied. "I took him to Castaway Cove, and he got a job helping the merchant there."

"And you just now remembered this?!" Puggsy questioned.

"It's alright. Castaway Cove is not far from here. We can go there and visit Al-Khemi… my only concern is carrying Serpens with us. I would hate for those fiends to disrupt such a peaceful village," Cassiopeia stated, looking to the skies. "Those vandals could drop in again at any moment…"

"Then let's stop wasting time and go!" Fangs scoffed, his hand on the hilt of his sword- shaking. "I barely learned how to use this sword, I don't think I'd do well learning on the field!"

"(You wouldn't even fare well against a dead tree)," Swaine remarked quietly.

"Onward, then." Marcassin stated as he cast Travel.

In a flash, the group found themselves at a nice seaside village, and the first thing the gang noticed was everyone was clad in a bathing suit! "Is this like a resort location?" Kim asked, surprised.

"Kind of. The governor made a rule that everyone who comes to Castaway Cove has to wear a swimsuit- it keeps everyone from picking fights, since it's hard to argue in a pair of swim-trunks." Oliver told her.

"Ooh, ooh, I didn't pack my swimsuit! It was the middle of Fall when we came here!" Fangs replied.

"Don't worry, the merchant's stand is right over there, so none of us will have to change." Esther assured him.

Walking ahead to said merchant, they asked about Al-Khemi. "The genie? …Ah, yes, he's on a lunch break now. He is much help to the stand- he is able to make items I am unable to acquire for sales, and has increased my wares tenfold with his help!"

"Will he be back, soon? It's pretty urgent," Oliver asked.

"He just left not to long ago, but he might be at one of his favorite stands. There's Bob's Kebab down by Swift Solutions, the Now You Sea It seafood stand across the second bridge, or Raj's Curry stand down at the ship dock- he recently came here from Al-Mamoon to help expand his business,"

"Thanks! We'll go look!" Biff responded, turning to the group. "Let's split up and search,"

"You sure that's a good idea, Biff? I mean, what if one of those monsters ambush us?" Oliver questioned.

Cassiopeia scanned the skies. "I do not sense them anywhere…"

"You can sense them?" Kim asked.

"Y-Yes… after I was kidnapped, I developed a sense that warned me when foes are nearby. It is part of my arcane,"

"I should mention Castaway Cove wasn't built until centuries after your father's time, so there is a chance they do not know of its location yet." Marcassin informed her. "However, that does not mean they will be drawn to Serpens- keeping it concealed only suppresses its aura, not hide it completely."

"Then lets hurry up and get looking!" Swaine replied.

"Right. Biff, Kim, why don't you come with Esther and me? We can check by the stand by Swift Solutions," Oliver suggested, beginning to walk.

"Okay, sounds good." Kim said as she and Biff followed.

"Right! An' I'll show ye two royals th' way to th' docks!" Drippy said to Marcassin and Cassiopeia, leading them onward.

Swaine paused, looking at who he was stuck with. Fangs shifted and Puggsy crossed his arms. "Oh, thanks a lot!" the thief hollered to his friends.

"It ain't a treat touring with you, either. C'mon, lets get looking." Puggsy muttered. Swaine gave him a sneer, walking ahead and leading them on.

Fangs quietly followed, feeling uncomfortable. "…why does a monster attack suddenly sound less dangerous?" he asked himself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When Kim thought of genies, she thought of human-like beings who cast magic, donning Arabian garb like that on _I Dream of Jeanie._ However, she wasn't expecting to see a pink-skinned elf-like being with long pointed ears, a thick black beard, riding on a cloud above a moving cauldron!

"Al-Khemi!" Esther called to the genie first, waving to him.

Al-Khemi was in the middle of eating a shish-kebab when he noticed them. "Ah, my old master! How are you faring on your own in Motorville?" the genie asked.

"Things are fine… well, at least until recently." Oliver said, and got his old friend up to speed on the situation involving Tobias, Serpens, the attacks, and their new company. "Which is why we need your help. We have a wand for you to fix,"

"I see…" Al-Khemi rubbed his chin, floating along (his cauldron 'hopping' beneath him) as they walked down the docks. "I have never heard of a being such as Tobias,"

"He existed over ten thousand years ago, no one's heard about him until now." Esther told him.

"So, can you mend the wand?" Biff asked.

Al-Khemi shook his head. "I'm sorry. If it were building a weapon from scratch, then I could do it immediately, but when it comes to _fixing_ things… well, to put it bluntly, the heater in my cauldron is still iced over."

"So we do need a wandsmith…" Kim sighed sadly.

"A wandsmith? …Why not you, young master? One with mechanical interests and magic such as yours would be a perfect option!" Al-khemi asked Oliver.

"I, uh… I don't know how to fix a wand." Oliver replied. "I've always been better at working on cars with Phil,"

"Well, between you, Swaine and Marcassin, I'm sure we can figure out something!" Biff assured him.

"We should at least try," Esther said with a shrug.

"Let's go find the others," Kim replied with a nod.

"I shall come along. Perhaps if I looked at the wand, I might have an idea on how to help you fix it." Al-Khemi added.

Along the way they came across Drippy, Marcassin and Cassiopeia. "Oh, there you are. Can Al-Khemi fix the wand?" Marcassin asked.

"Unfortunately, no… But he believes Oliver can do it," Biff informed as they walked.

"I don't know how to make wands, though." Oliver added.

"I don't believe anyone in our world does." Marcassin stated, holding up his scepter. "Our wands were always handcrafted. Gascon could certainly make the attempt due to his ingenuity and crafting, but it's more than that- the maker must infuse their own magic within the work, as a way to 'spark' its power. …But perhaps he and I can teach you, Oliver, as you are a master of both."

"Oh, there they are now- oh no," Esther pointed out, pausing.

Biff and Kim looked forth and paused as well. "Oh, no," Kim groaned.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was simple. Just ask around for Al-Khemi, find the genie, get the wand fixed, banish Serpens, go home.

But nothing was ever easy, was it?

Not for Swaine at least, and Puggsy would certainly agreed.

For one thing, the curry stand they were looking for was closed, one of the locals stating Raj was making a delivery. When they went to find the others, Fangs ended up getting turned around and lost on a pier- as it was easy to get lost on trying to find the way back to the upper walkways, and the lanky teen ended up on the wrong side of a pier.

By the time they managed to get on the right route, the governor caught up to them and insisted they put on their swimsuits- whether they were staying long or not. Puggsy began to protest, but Swaine quickly cut in and said they would do so immediately.

"Look, it's either get a swimsuit, or get kicked out of the village. I learned that the hard way," the thief was telling him as they stood outside the inn, Fangs having gone inside first to get a swimsuit.

"We don't have time, though! Or did you forget we have a cursified wand to banish?" Puggsy sneered.

"Not so loud, idiot- and I don't want to wait around any longer than you do, but unless you want to start a scene you need to follow protocol."

"Start a scene over being forced to wear swim trunks? If we were back in my world, a rule like that only applies at the public pool!"

"Well you're not in your world anymore, so you'll have to deal with it!" Swaine looked at the door. "…And how long does it take for that numbskull to change into a swimsuit- or does he need help getting dressed, too?"

"Watch it, that 'numbskull' is my best friend- and I'm the only one allowed to insult him!"

"So you're not just a loudmouth, but also a hypocrite huh? …By the way, _great idea_ giving the wimp of your group a sword!"

"Said 'wimp' can turn into a werewolf who can rip your lungs out, pal!"

"Before or after he's done making you his personal chew-toy?"

Puggsy clenched his fists. "You're going to be my personal punching-bag if you keep making comments!"

By this point, the others had noticed the argument and hurried over. "Guys! Calm down, what's going on?" Kim asked.

"That coward ended up lost and cost us some time, and the governor said we have to put on our swimsuits- then pipsqueak here started throwing a fit about the rule," Swaine scoffed.

"Gascon, mind yourself. And Puggsy, I am sorry, but you must abide by the village rules." Marcassin stated.

"Whatever… Is that the genie?" Puggsy asked, noticing Al-Khemi. "Can he fix the wand?"

"I cannot, but I'm sure my old master can," Al-Khemi insisted.

"So we came all this way for nothing…" Swaine muttered.

"Wait, how can Oliver do it?" Puggsy asked.

"He's good with mechanics and magic. With some help from Gascon and I, he may be able to repair Novas," Marcassin replied.

"Seriously? You're that good with mechanical stuff?" Puggsy asked Oliver.

"Sort of. My friend Phil and I work on cars, at least." Oliver told him.

"A 13 year old working on cars? …You don't drive 'em, do ya?"

"What's wrong with that?" Esther asked.

"Well, no offense, but kids that young shouldn't drive- they could get into an accident."

Oliver bit his lip. "U-Um… I'm going to go check on Fangs." He said, hurrying into the Inn.

"Oliver!" Esther called, worried.

"Nice going, bigmouth!" Swaine sneered- and slapped Puggsy across the face!

"Ow! Hey!" Puggsy snapped, and slapped him back! "What was that for?!"

"Oh! Oh my!" a local gasped, covering her mouth in surprise at their actions. She hurried into the Inn.

"Um, we should go inside- quickly." Biff said when he saw a crowd beginning to form, ushering them inside. "Guys, you have GOT to cool your heads!"

"Look, I'm sorry, but I don't know what I did wrong!" Puggsy retorted.

"Ah, Pugs has a point, ye lot… It's a personal matter, mun," Drippy informed him.

"You mean… Oliver and his friend DID get in a wreck?" Kim gasped.

"It… was more of my fault," Cassiopeia admitted in shame. "As the White Witch, I made a wheel come off the car. It swerved into the river while Oliver was driving, and his mother had to dive in and save him. After she got him to shore… she had a fatal heart attack,"

"That's terrible…" Biff gasped.

Puggsy rubbed the back of his neck. "…damn… B-But I didn't know that, otherwise-!"

"It's okay, Puggsy. But from now on, please- both you AND Gascon- please watch your words." Marcassin sighed.

Fangs walked out of a room, Oliver at his side. The lanky teen was clad in orange trunks and a light blue open cover-shirt. "Oh, hey guys! Did ya get the wand fixed?" he asked.

"No… Turns out Oliver will have to fix it." Kim told him.

"We will have to return to Hamelin immediately-" Marcassin began to state.

"There they are, sir!" came a voice, and they saw the local who ran in, running out of a room with the governor. "Those are the men!"

"Oh, blimey, here we go…" Swaine groaned.

"And you're absolutely sure?" The governor asked the local.

She nodded. "Yes- the tall one slapped the short one, and then the short one returned the slap!" the local replied… almost sounding a bit giddy. "Never before would I see such a thing- especially between two men!"

"Hmm, a tad unusual… but I suppose the rules still abide, regardless."

"Um… what rule? Are our friends going to be punished?" Oliver asked.

"Ha ha, not at all, boy! You see, years ago we used to have domestic disputes- even with the swimsuit law in place, a few people would always find reason to pick a fight. So, in order to help mend such trouble, I issued a rule: should anyone strike another, and that person strike back, then the two will be united under a bond. The only way it can be called off was for the pair to come to terms and go their separate ways, or stay together in peaceful union until the day they died. …With such a drastic law, no one wanted to risk doing so, and many have decided compromise was better than violence."

Puggsy and Swaine only gawked, understanding what he meant… but hoping it was implying something else! "Um… c-could you explain that to me again?" Puggsy asked, his eye twitching.

"Well, to put it simply- a slap to the face is a means of proposal, and by returning said slap… you two are now engaged!"

Everyone froze. Drippy bit his tiny fist to stifle a laugh. "W-Wait! That can't be…! I mean, they're…!" Kim was stammering.

"We can't be engaged! Bloody hell- what kind of a law is that?! The swimsuits I can understand, but- this is- I can't-!" Swaine was sputtering.

"We can't be engaged! …Fangs, help me out here!" Puggsy exclaimed, turning to his friend in desperation.

"…Can I be your best man?" Fangs asked with a grin.

"FANGS!"

"Sir, ah… I do not mean to question your rule, but is there a means to break off such an engagement?" Marcassin asked.

"In order to break it off, the two must settle their differences once and for all, or go their separate ways as I have said." The governor replied, then opened up a box. Two lights shot out and landed on Swaine and Puggsy's hands… and two bands appeared on their fingers!

"Augh!" Puggsy screamed.

"Sir… they don't have to get married, do they? W-We have an important mission, and these guys come from a different world!" Oliver stated.

"Do not worry. The bands just serve as a reminder. Should they go their separate ways or find a way to let bygones be bygones, the rings will disappear. However, everyone will know of their engagement from this point on." The governor replied. "Let it serve as a lesson next time the two of you wish to disrupt the peace of Castaway Cove,"

Swaine covered his face, muttering many curses. Puggsy felt lightheaded and leaned against the counter. The others just exchanged awkward glances.

"So… are you guys going to put on swimsuits, too?" Fangs asked.


	20. Put Together, Taken Apart

Once everyone was changed into swimsuits (by the Governor's insistence), it was already reaching dusk. After Cassiopeia brought up the seaside village being uncharted on their foe's radar, the group decided there would be no harm in spending the night at the local Inn.

Fangs, Puggsy, Oliver and Drippy all roomed together at the end of the hall. The fairy and lanky teen had already fallen asleep in their hammocks- the traditional bedding for the inn- while the short teen and Pure Hearted One remained awake. Oliver had given Puggsy his Wizards Companion so he could memorize some runes, while he himself tried to figure out how he could assemble Novas.

"Hey, um, listen… about earlier… I didn't mean to hit a nerve," Puggsy quietly told the younger wizard. "It's just… In my time, kids can be reckless. Believe me- when I was 9 I tried to back my dad's old Cadillac down the driveway and ended up denting my neighbor's hot-rod."

"It's okay, you didn't know." Oliver replied, turning towards him. "I guess… I still feel bad about it. I'll always feel bad about it- everyone calls me the Pure Hearted One, but I ended up sneaking out at night to test-drive a car. I almost got myself killed, and if Mom hadn't found us…" he let out a sigh.

Puggsy rubbed the back of his neck. "Well… Imagine how Cassiopeia must feel. She said she caused the wreck,"

"I know… actually, in a way, she tried to stop me from going." Oliver then told him about Pea- a childlike form of Cassiopeia's who had been banished to his world, but acted as a guide for him every so often. It was confusing for the short teen to understand, but he decided to abandon logic at this point and listen. "In a way… I can't really blame her for what happened. I still chose to go out, even when someone warned me not to."

"We've all made that mistake… I mean, look at me- I pick on Fangface, even though the weird-wolf can throw me as far as ten miles! …That ain't an exaggeration, either. Biff and Kim had to drive to the next down before they found me unconscious in someone's flowerbed." When Oliver didn't crack a smile, he stood up, walking over to him. "Ya shouldn't beat yourself up about it, Oliver. I mean… I doubt your mom would want you to feel like this,"

"I know… her spirit visited me a few times."

"Really?"

"Yeah… each time, she had a smile on her face. She… actually knew she was going to die someday. She used to live in this world, but went forward in the future while she was pregnant with me, and lived in Motorville. But… she ended up severing her link with her soul-mate, so that weakened her heart."

Puggsy scratched his head, thinking back to what Marcassin had told him about soul-mates. "So… wait, if someone dies in this universe, their soulmate dies too?"

"Yeah… but Mom said soulmates can be reborn. The reason hers wasn't was because she tampered with time."

Puggsy rubbed his head. "I keep forgetting how confusing this world can be,"

Oliver patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay. I had a hard time understanding it, too."

"Heh, I guess I shouldn't say anything… I mean, my friends and I have had run-ins with magical-maniacs, we hang out with a werewolf, and we survived our share of crazified saturations." He looked out the window at the port, seeing the full moon reflecting on the waves. "…though, I have to admit this is the craziest trip we've ever been drug into,"

"Don't worry, once we get Novas repaired, we can send you all home," Oliver turned back to his work. "Want to help? I'm trying to figure out how to piece it together."

Puggsy observed the pieces. "I'll see what I can do." He picked up a couple pieces, analyzing them and putting one down before picking up another. "Honestly, the only time I messed with a wand was when I had to rewire a gigantified one a twisted magician was using to sabotage New York City. Ended up turning it into a missile!" he then grabbed another piece, his hands working as he spoke. "'Course, it really got wild when Fangface took over the steering, and we ended up crashing into the creep's personalized helichopper…"

Oliver's eyes widened. "Jeepers!"

"Heh, I know, it's hard to believe. My mom still doesn't believe anything I say unless it comes up on the news-"

"No, Puggsy… the wand!"

He flinched. "Oh, crud, what did I do?" He looked at the wand… noticing it was halfway assembled! He and Oliver exchanged a glance, the young wizard giving him a coaxing nod to continue; carefully, he picked up another piece, fixating it onto another. There was a glow, before the piece fused to the wand! "…I repeat, what did I do?!"

"Puggsy… you're a wandsmith!" Oliver exclaimed.

"Zzzz… huh? Wazzat?" Drippy gasped, sitting up; climbing out of his hammock, he hopped over. "What're ye two still doing up? What's going on?"

"Mister Drippy, look! Puggsy can fix Novas!"

"He can? …Tidy! He can!" Drippy took a look at Novas. "Oi, not bad for a mun still workin' on a gun, Pugs! How'd ye figure it out?"

"…I'll tell you once I figure it out myself." Puggsy admitted, watching as each time he connected a piece it fused to the wand. "It's like I'm working on a puzzle- every piece just attaches! …But, why didn't it do it for you, Oliver?"

"I don't know… maybe I wasn't piecing it together right. It was pretty much shattered, it was hard to tell which piece went where," Oliver replied. "How did you figure it out?"

"I dunno… it's like my brain just knew what to do,"

"That means ye have th' gift of wand-makin', mun!" Drippy exclaimed. "I mean, I have no doubts Ollie-boy can learn to do it, havin' th' tech-and-magic know-how, but a lot o' wandsmiths are born with th' instinct, followin' their gut-instinct 'n' havin' the heart fer th' passion! Ye didn't know anything 'bout this world or magic, an' yet ye pieced together Novas like ye've done it a hundred times before!"

"Let's tell the others!" Oliver exclaimed. "We can banish Serpens once you finish, and get you all home!"

Puggsy grinned, then looked over his shoulder. "Hey, Fangs! Wake up! We're going home!" he called.

"Zzzzzz…" Fangs continued to snore.

The short teen rolled his eyes. "Forgot he's a heavy sleeper,"

"OI! WAKE UP, FANGS! YOUER PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED!" Drippy hollered, hopping beside the teen. "RISE AND SHINE, MUN! UP 'N" AT 'EM!"

"Fangs! Wake up!" Oliver said, shaking his shoulder.

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…" Fangs continued to snore.

"Hold on, I'll take care of this." Puggsy sighed, walking over and flipping the hammock!

"Zz-! Gah! Oof! What the…?!" Fangs sputtered, sitting up and looking around. "What's going on?! What happened?! Are the monsters attacking again?!"

"No, it's okay! Puggsy can repair Novas!" Oliver assured him.

"Really? Pugs, you fixed the wand?" Fangs looked over at the wand.

"Almost… Gimme a few more minutes," Puggsy answered, getting back to work.

"C'mon, boys! Lets go tell the others! Everything will be back to normal by dawn!" Drippy exclaimed.

"Yes! …I hope _The Blues Brothers_ is still playing when we get back!" Fangs added, following him out to go tell the others. "HEY BIFF! KIM! WE'RE GOING HOOOOME…!"

Oliver looked at Puggsy, both of them grinning. Things were apparently looking up.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_In the marshes, Titan soared overhead. Since the sun had set, he had been soaring over the lands searching for the wretches that held Serpends. Percephony had teleported all around Hamelin, her stealth preventing her from being spotted by the guards in the fortress, but she did not sense the wand anywhere in Hamelin, nor Perdida. Salem confirmed it was nowhere in Al-Mamoon or Ding Dong Dell._

_The Puppeteer sat on his back. They had flown over the island chains, the Fairy Grounds, even searched deserted isles, but they had yet to pick up the dark aura of the wicked scepter._

_Until…_

_"Down there."_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was after 11 o'clock at night, but upon hearing that Novas was fixed, everyone was wide awake, rushing to get back into their regular attire in preparation to leave. Puggsy stepped forth with the wand, reassembled as if it had never been broken. As if to confirm, Cassiopeia was looking at the scroll that held the picture. "You're right, Oliver- Puggsy DID fix Novas!" she said, amazed.

"Well, let's put it to work, shall we?" Swaine stated, turning to the wizards. "Try casting 'Alt-Uni' and send that wand to another time and place,"

"One of you guys do it- I ain't exactly an expert warlock," Puggsy insisted, holding the wand out to Oliver or Marcassin.

"Very well," Marcassin said, taking Novas and casting the rune upon Serpens. _"Alt-Uni!"_

But nothing happened.

"Perhaps I'm not strong enough. Oliver, you try it,"

"Okay," Oliver said, waving Novas. " _Alt-Uni!"_ Yet the results were the same. "Huh? It's not working for me, either…"

"Allow me to try. Perhaps, since it was my father's wand, a descendant of his can only wield it," Cassiopeia guessed, holding the wand and casting the rune… but once again, nothing happened. The wand did not even glow. "I do not understand… The wand is fixed!" she looked at the picture. "It looks exactly like it does in the scroll…"

"Hold on a minute…" Drippy said, looking closer. "Hmm… Aha, that's it! We're missing a piece!"

"Missing a piece? But I used all the pieces!" Puggsy replied.

"Look again, mun. See, ya can't quite see it in the picture, but there's supposed to be a stone right in th' middle!"

"But there wasn't a stone in the case! …You don't think Master Solomon kept it, do you?" Oliver questioned.

"Nah… he said th' wand was shattered- which means the stone was no doubt shattered, too. Kinda like taking th' engine outta a car an' smashing it to bits- ye can fix up th' car, but without an engine it's useless! We'll have to find another stone, like."

"Another stone? But how will we know which one will work?" Esther questioned.

"I guess we'll have to round up as many as we can an' see what works!"

"I have doubts Master Solomon would destroy a crucial piece to the wand. We will have to speak with him again," Marcassin stated.

"That, and we can't exactly go on a scavenger hunt with those freaks after us," Swaine added.

"Swaine's right. Let's check the box again," Biff said, walking over and picking up the case. "I used to read detective stories where something valuable was always hidden in a secret compartment. Maybe…"

"OH!" Cassiopeia cried out, her palm on her head.

"Cassiopeia? What's wrong?" Oliver gasped.

"Quick! Hide the wands!" She put Novas in its case and closed it, hiding it first. "They're here! They've found us!"

"What?! How?! W-We kept Serpens concealed!" Kim sputtered.

"They must still sense it- quick! Everyone gather together, we must hurry and-" Marcassin began to state.

"AAAAUUUUGGGGHHH!" Fangs screamed, as a monster he knew too well appeared before them! "NOT YOU AGAIN!"

"Give me that wand!" Persephone snarled, reaching for Serpens.

Esther acted quick and grabbed it, but Persephone lunged at her. She dodged, but the length of the cursed staff tripped her. Puggsy quickly rushed to help her back on her feet, just as Persephone grabbed her by the ankle-!

In a blink, the three of them vanished!

"Where did they go?!" Biff cried.

"LET GO OF US, YA FREAK!" came Puggsy's voice from outside.

"That's Pugs! H-Hang on, Puggsy! We're coming!" Fangs called, running out.

"Wait! It's a trap, you idiot!" Swaine yelled at him, chasing him down the hall to the outside.

Something jumped both of them, and Fangs screamed as he saw Salem pinning him down. "Heh, the thief's right- you ARE an idiot!" he mocked him in Puggsy's voice. Swaine quickly drew his pistol and shot the creature in the face.

With Puggsy and Esther, they had appeared at the end of the docks before the Puppeteer. "Give me the wand…" he began to command.

"REX!" Puggsy summoned his familiar, having him attack the Puppeteer immediately. Persephone tried to grab the wand from them, but Esther smacked her in the head with it!

Seeing the scuffle going on, Swaine and Fangs quickly made their way down the docks. "This would be a good idea to turn into a werewolf!" the thief said to the coward.

"What are you talking about?!" Fangs retorted.

"Never mind- just use that sword!"

Salem snarled and leaped in front of them, blocking their path. He tried to lunge at them but- due to being shot in the eye- ended up off-target and fell in the water! "Well that was pointless," Fangs commented, as they ran on.

The others ran out at this point, hearing the commotion. Acting fast, Biff and Kim drew their Familiars to help fight. "Cassiopeia, Marcassin, you two stay here while we get Serpens! Make sure they don't get Novas!" Oliver told them, as he joined the others in the fight.

Persephone kept teleporting, trying to grab the wand. The Puppeteer kept trying to control someone, but a Familiar would keep attacking him, breaking his concentration. Salem resurfaced, lunging into battle, Fangs swinging his sword frantically while backing away, ending up toppling into Swaine- both of them falling on Persephone when she reappeared again!

Growling, the she-beast grabbed them both. "Let's see how well you fare WITHOUT your friends!" she snarled, before teleporting!

"Swaine! Fangs!" Kim cried. There was a roar, and Titan was flying towards them! Aiming, she shot arrow after arrow at the monster, but her arrows didn't reach far enough.

"Kim, watch out!" Oliver gasped, pulling her aside. Salem then lunged, grabbing the young wizard by the cape and- while he was still hanging on to Kim- shot off like a bullet!

"Not agaaaaaaaiiiiin!" Kim screamed.

"KIM! OLIVER!" Esther shouted. Before she could act, Titan snatched her up!

"Esther! Hang on!" Puggsy shouted, grabbing hold of her while having Rex attack, but it was no use. Once again, the dragon took to the skies with him in tow! "For crying out loud…!"

Biff looked over at the Puppeteer (who was still dazed); it was clear to him that this battle was over too quick, as if the monsters were not planning on another fight. He grabbed the Puppeteer by the collar. "Where are my friends?! Tell me!" he snarled.

The Puppeteer only smirked. "If it is your friends you want to see… come with me…" The Puppeteer said, as his eyes glowed.

"Biff! Hold up!" Drippy shouted, clinging onto Biff's shoulder when a blue light swirled around them!

"No!" Marcassin shouted, as he and Cassiopeia raced forth to stop them, but it was too late. They were gone. He turned to Cassiopeia. "We must find them! Where could they have gone?!"

"Let me cast 'Foresight'- oh!" Cassiopeia said hastily, only to end up dropping the case. Thankfully, Novas remained intact, but the interior cracked, falling out…

…and out rolled the missing stone.

"It was here the whole time after all…"

"Then let us pray it can help us save everyone," Marcassin said, looking towards the skies. Holding the wand and feeling a surge of power, he cast Foresight. "Find my brother, Gascon."

The image swirled, showing an island that he had never seen before. The Witch Queen let out a gasp, which did not help give him reassurance.

"Cassiopeia… what is that place?"

She took a breath. "That… is where Tobias had been banished. The Forsaken Island."


	21. Unsettling Shores

_She remembered being outside in the street when the monster grabbed her. With sharp claws and an iron grip, she couldn't pry away as she was dragged across the landscapes, her skin getting scraped and bruised as it was dragged over rocks, brushes, and dry grass; it was a painful blur, feeling like a nightmare._

_And then she was dropped into darkness, having to find her way out, the mimic taunting her with the voices of the friends she thought she would never see again…_

That was all Kim could think about now, as she and Oliver were taken by Salem. The young wizard was holding onto the collar of his cape as it was choking him- trying to undo it possibly, in order to escape if not be strangled-, while she hung on to his waist for dear life. Mist sprayed around them, giving them the hint they were still crossing the ocean, and she had a fearful notion that the monster would release them and leave them to drown in the middle of the sea.

Oliver hung onto his collar with one hand, and with his free hand tried to reach for his wand, but with the turbulence of the rush he was afraid it would fling out of his grip and be lost; the same would go for summoning a familiar- if it popped out of his chest it would end up flying off. Instead, he reached and grabbed an arrow from Kim's quiver and, as delicately as he could, jammed the point into Salem's shoulder.

With a screech, Salem let them go; the two sunk below the waves. Holding their breaths, they both stayed under in case their foe turned around to grab them. When their lungs began to ache, they surfaced, looking around and seeing a rock formation nearby, swimming over and climbing on; it was in almost a 'C' shape, giving them cover.

After catching their breath, Kim looked at Oliver. "…where are we?" she asked.

"I don't know," Oliver answered. He couldn't see any islands. He did notice the sun starting to rise. "He must have dragged us all night… or we're in a different time zone,"

Kim wrapped her arms around herself. "This is terrible… Oh my gosh, the others! Swaine and Fangs were kidnapped! Everyone else…!"

Oliver took out his wand. "Don't worry, I'll take us back! We can get help and find them!" he held up his wand, trying to cast the 'Travel' spell, but his wand flickered out. "Huh? I-I thought I had enough magicka…! Something is cancelling it out," he checked on his person, lightly cursing. "I left the dragon horn back in my bag at the inn!"

"Well… we can't just sit here and wait for someone to find us! That monster could be back any second,"

Oliver tapped his chest, summoning a Spotted Naiad. "Here, this is Zoey. You can use her in case we have to fight."

Kim stroked Zoey, looking at Oliver. "I can have your Familiar?"

"Yeah. You can trade familiars with others, and can keep up to 3 with you. If you collect more, they go to the Familiar Retreat. It's best to have a few with you just in case,"

"Thank you," Zoey receded into her chest, and the teen girl sighed. "I'm so scared, Oliver… I mean, Biff and I have been in tough spots before, but this is out of our league!"

"It's okay, we'll find everyone, and get you all home. It's okay to be scared, but don't give up!" the young wizard looked out at the calm tides. "I remember feeling hopeless… When I found out I couldn't save my mom, I almost gave up. Pea was the one who helped me realize there was more to my quest than just one goal,"

"Pea?"

"Well, Cassiopeia's child-self… It's a long story. Right now, we have to find a way back,"

Kim peered behind the other side of the rock, seeing fog in the distance. Squinting, she made out a shape. "Oliver, look!" she gasped, tapping him on the shoulder. "There's an island over there…"

"I've never seen that island before… Those monsters must live there,"

Kim gulped, but took a breath. "…Then that's probably where our friends are. We have to at least search—sitting here won't help at all,"

Nodding, Oliver summoned his Mermite to dive into the ocean and scout ahead. After a few minutes, his familiar returned to him. "Weird… there's barely any creatures near that island."

"Still, we should be careful,"

Slipping into the water, the two swam under the waves towards the island, coming up every several seconds for air. At one point, they had to summon Mitey and Zoey to help support them when their arms and legs began to tire out.

After almost two hours, they finally reached shore, summoning back their familiars and lying on their backs. The first thing they noticed were the dark clouds that lingered above and the beach was covered with black sand. Behind them were cliffs that were as high as the clouds, making it impossible to see the landscape.

Once their energy returned, they began walking down the beach. Calling out was out of the question, as they didn't want to attract the attention of their foes.

Kim paused, looking over her shoulder at a dune. "Oliver… was that there before?"

"I don't think so…" Oliver picked up a rock and tossed it at the dune. Both of them gasped as it shifted! He looked at Kim. "Run!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

Racing down the sand, they looked back, watching as the dune moved after them, though seemed to 'dive' down. That only made them increase their pace… until something caught Kim by the ankle! Shrieking, she grabbed an arrow and jammed it into the sand. Oliver helped her back on her feet, both of them watching as a slimy, snake-like creature breached in the sand, followed by 3 more that were wriggling about, trying to snag Oliver at his heels.

Summoning their strongest familiars, they attacked the creatures. Kim shot the creatures with her arrows, impaling one through the head… and out of the ground burst a massive creature with black scales and sharp teeth- the four snakes working as its tongues! Oliver had Mitey use 'Arc Fire', making the creature draw back.

Looking over they saw a boulder, racing over to it and climbing up, watching as the creature rushed under the sand after them until it bumped into the rock, its 'tongues' scouring it, but its prey was out of reach. "It can't climb," Kim sighed with relief.

Oliver looked over. Grabbing another rock, he threw it… watching as it sunk below the surface for a moment until it was 'spat' back out. "There's more of them over there, too…" he told her, and looked at his wand. If only he could cast a 'Levitate' spell.

Kim looked over at the cliffs, seeing long vines growing down them. "We'll have to climb up," she realized aloud. Crawling around the boulders, the twosome made their way towards the cliffs, while keeping their eyes on the sand-snakes.

Once they were at the wall, Kim hoisted Oliver up so he could reach the lowest vine and start climbing, before jumping up herself and beginning her ascension. The vines, they quickly found, were withered and could easily break, so they either had to grab onto ones that were still green enough and wouldn't become uprooted so easily, or thick enough so they wouldn't break so quickly.

They had made it up ten feet when they felt a rumble. "…What was that?" Kim asked, freezing.

"I don't- AUGH!" Oliver screamed, as a snake-tongue burst out by his head! The other three popped out around him, the earth giving way as the monster prepared to envelope him in its jaws! Pushing off quick, Oliver swung out of the way, but his vine snapped!

Kim acted fast and caught his hand, both of them watching as the monster spat out dirt before going back in! There was more rumbling, and they could feel the sand-worms were tunneling up the cliffs! It was too high to jump, and they couldn't climb fast enough to escape them…

The vine they hung on gave a tug, beginning to give away. Kim felt the rumbling intensify… "Hang on!" she told Oliver, having him hang onto her back. Waiting until the last three seconds, she pushed away from the cliff as the monster's mouth shot out, its tongues trying to wrap around them. She planted her feet on its head while grabbing another vine, the tongues swinging upward to try and grab them, but quickly she summoned Mavis to attack them, her familiar hitting the tongues with gusts of wind.

Another sand-worm began to shoot out its tongues next, but Oliver- following Kim's example- summoned an Ullaballoon to distract them as well. They climbed up, as their familiars managed to outwit the snake-tongues by making them grab onto each other, the sand-worms pulling at each other as their slimy tendrils got tangled! The worm that was furthers out ended up being pried out of its tunnel, falling to the ground and pulling the other worm with it, both creatures hitting the boulders below, their bodies bursting in a splash of blood and guts.

Kim and Oliver summoned back their familiars, the young wizard grabbing onto a vine and climbing on his own once more as they made their way to the top. After another good fifteen feet, they pulled themselves onto a ledge, finding a path that led further upward.

"We'd better keep moving. If there's more of those things tunneling their way up, we might get pulled under." Oliver told her. "They seem to respond to movement,"

"I noticed. We managed to make it this far up, at least… hopefully there aren't-" Kim began to state.

They felt the cliffs shift again. The two remained still, watching as- from the side of the cliff, five feet below them, a snake-tongue poked out, 'looking' around as if trying to find out where they had gone. It receded back in after a minute, and all was still.

Kim and Oliver waited a moment, a bit relieved… until suddenly the ground below them began to cave in! The sand-worm was tunneling and trying to make the path collapse! "RUN!" Oliver cried, and they ran up the path as fast as they could, making it to a treeline and- without hesitation- climbed up.

They watched as the tunneling stopped at the treeline, before turning and going another direction, going back downward. "It must not be able to navigate because of the tree-roots. They must get in the way," Kim guessed.

"Still, we shouldn't take any chances," Oliver said, looking towards the jungle. As thick as the trees were, they could make their way around on the tree branches. Keeping balance, they began to 'walk' along the boughs, while keeping watch.

Kim tapped his shoulder, pointing over at some black trees with even blacker leaves. "Oliver… are black trees common in this world?" she asked in a whisper.

The young wizard shook his head. "The only time I saw black trees was in the Miasma Marshes," he replied back quietly. "But it was so dark there that everything looked black, except for the poisoned pools,"

"Something about them gives me the creeps…"

Oliver looked around; there were no other trees in reach they could climb on. Looking, he noticed something odd about where the black trees grew. "Look, it's all rock! We can walk from here,"

Kim nodded, and they carefully climbed down, making their way through. Keeping close, they moved around the black trees; the teen girl kept her eyes on them, remembering a scene from _The Wizard of Oz_ where the trees were alive… and she was afraid of what would happen if these trees happened to be sentient. What would happen? Would they close up around them? Strangle them with their branches? Crush them?

However, after ten minutes, nothing had happened. The trees remained still.

A little too still…

Oliver noticed as well. "It's so quiet here," he whispered, though even his quiet tone sounded like an echo. "I figured more monsters would have been here,"

"I know… I didn't even see anything in the trees," Kim agreed, looking closer at the trunks. Strange, not even insects were crawling on them.

Suddenly she wondered if the black trees were the reason the sand snakes stayed at bay.

The wind blew just then, making the treetops shake, and a leaf came loose, floating down unknowingly towards them. It touched Oliver's head; Gasping, Kim quickly flicked it out of his hair- looking at her finger, she noticed her nail-polish suddenly crack and chip, falling off like sand, and her nail looked a bit yellow.

Oliver rubbed his head. "I feel sick… *hurk!*" he gasped, and suddenly vomited!

Kim knelt by him, staying at his side until his heaving stopped. After five minutes and some shaky breaths, Oliver was back on his feet. "So that's the problem… Those trees are poisoned!" she realized. "Probably deadly, if a single leaf made you sick,"

"We have to get out of here," Oliver grunted, still feeling hazy. Kim kept an arm around him, helping him walk as they tried to make their way through the trees. It soon got to a point where she had to carry the young wizard on her back, as he was suddenly too exhausted to walk.

After a while, she was beginning to grow tired, too- not from the weight of the wizard, but as if she were falling ill. It was as if the trees were producing poison like how normal trees produced oxygen! Holding her breath, she pressed on, only taking a breath when her lungs began to burn.

Then she saw the black leaves fallen on the ground ahead. She turned around to find another path… only to watch the trees grow extra branches that blocked her path!

She looked ahead. There was green grass in the distance, but it was too far for her to chance a run. A soft wind blew, making some of the leaves shift and show hints of rock beneath. Getting an idea, she summoned Mavis. "I need you to clear a path for us, Mavis."

With a chirp, Mavis flapped her wings, summoning a whirling wind that made the leaves scatter further apart. Kim walked onward, as her familiar would 'sweep' leaves out of her path. They were at the edge now…

*crack!*

A branch broke above, falling towards her! She ran and jumped out of the way, Oliver rolling off her back and onto the green grass in front of her. She panted, looking back…

Seeing the branch on her ankle. Quickly she kicked it away, but her leg was going numb, and dizziness overswept her. Mavis perched beside her, as she began to puke in the grass, the nausea too great to overcome, and she passed out.

…

Oliver sat up, groaning and rubbing his head. "Kim…?" he murmured, his vision clearing and he saw the teen girl passed out on the ground. "Oh no! Kim!" he shook her shoulder, but she made no movement. He examined her, seeing a black bruise with a purple outline on her ankle. Looking forth, he saw the edge of the green grass beginning to grow yellow before fading to black. The poison from the trees was spreading towards them!

Mavis, still conscious thankfully, squawked and pecked at Kim's shoulder in a desperate attempt to wake her up. Oliver laced her bow around his abdomen at an angle, before grabbing her beneath the arms and, with as much strength as he could muster, pulled her away from the spreading poison. Suddenly his foot slipped; looking behind him, he noticed they were by the edge of a slanting cliff, leading down to a purple river- no doubt poisoned as well; as soft as the dirt looked, chances were those sand snakes could be lying in wait as well.

He looked around desperately, finding the other side was solid rock and void of anything poisonous. If only his magic worked, he could use a 'Bridge' spell!

Something caught his eye- vines were growing on the cliff here as well, untouched by the poison. He looked at the bow and arrows, his mind racing furiously. "Mavis, gather some vines quick!" he told Kim's familiar.

The Minor Byrde chirped, obeying his order and prying as many vines out of the cliffs as possible. Oliver got to work weaving them tightly, while keeping an eye on the approaching poison. He then handed one end of the makeshift rope to Mavis. "Go wrap it around that tree over there," he ordered.

The familiar began to listen… but fell onto the ground, her stamina low. Oliver lightly cursed; he grabbed an arrow, tying a vine around it. He picked up the bow, taking aim and shooting at the tree.

No good.

He began to hyperventilate. The poison was still approaching; even though it was growing slowly, it was only a matter of minutes before it reached them.

Kim stirred, coming to. "Ugh, my head…" she groaned, sitting up.

"Kim! Thank God… Can you shoot an arrow across this ridge?" Oliver asked her.

Kim stood up, taking her bow. "I-I can try… I feel lightheaded… and my leg feels numb,"

"Hurry- the poison is spreading towards us!"

Kim shook her head, looking at the ground. Seeing the urgency had increased, she forced her mind off her nausea and pain. She summoned back Mavis, finding her familiar was growing weak, and its warmth helped her clear her head. Breathing deep, she took aim and fired.

The arrow didn't reach far enough. She retracted the vine and tried again, but still didn't make it.

Oliver looked, seeing the poison was only a couple feet away, the grass they stood on starting to turn yellow! "Kim!" he cried, moving her away, but in the process ended up making her stumble due to her null leg.

Both of them fell over the cliff, rolling down towards the river! Oliver managed to dig his heel into the dirt and slow down the slide, grabbing Kim as both of them now were at the edge of the bank. The ground began to rumble again, however, giving them the notion the sand snakes would be upon them soon…

Kim summoned Mavis back, having her Minor Byrde take the vine and wrap it around a hanging branch on the other cliffs. Grabbing Oliver, they jumped and swung across, just as a sand-snake's tongue popped out where they stood.

The only problem was there wasn't a bank on the other side, so once again they had to climb up a cliff. It was difficult with Kim's bum head, and the nausea was returning to both of them. Still, they pressed on, not stopping until they reached the top.

Once on level ground, both of them collapsed beneath the tree, their energy gone due to the poison, Kim summoning back Mavis once more. "Oliver… I'm sorry… I couldn't make the shot…" she panted.

"It's okay… I couldn't make it either… at least we're away from the poison…" Oliver breathed. He looked over, seeing that this area was different; rather than a deep forest and rocky cliffs, there was thick jungle foliage. "We need to rest… we can't go any further…"

"No argument… there…" Kim felt her eyes grow heavy, and just like before she collapsed again.

"Kim…!" Oliver gasped. Thankfully, she was still breathing. He stayed close, wincing while keeping alert for any more signs of danger. He looked at her leg, seeing the bruise was getting bigger. He rubbed his head, feeling nauseas again, imagining the same kind of bruise on top of his head. Tears formed in his eyes.

"Poor little wizard boy…" came a taunting voice, and Oliver looked up to see Persephone sitting on the branch above them. "Having no magic or means to help your friend,"

"You! You're the one who kidnapped Swaine and Fangs! What did you do with them?!"

"Do you really want to know the answer to that? They're probably dead by now. I just left them somewhere, and decided to let the island destroy them. As weak as they are, there's no way they can survive," She veered closer, tapping him on the nose. "Just like how _you_ won't survive."

Oliver grimaced. "We've made it this far-!"

"Oh, wake up, kid! The Gobblers and Toxiquioia forest were just a sliver of the dangers on this island! Keep in mind, it's a prison for my master- no magic can be used here, and everything is out to kill you. The only reason my comrades and I survive is because we were not bound like he was. We were only put into a deep sleep until Serpens returned! …And once we get the wand back, the entire world will be worse than the island you're on."

"Why are you even helping him?! You were a Guardian once-!"

"A Guardian!" Persephone scoffed. "You know what my role as a 'guardian' was? A delivery service! 'Persephone, take this scroll to the nearby village', 'Persephone, go fetch some herbs for my stew', 'Persephone, go here, go there, drop off this, pick up that', day after day after DAY!"

She disappeared, appearing behind Oliver. "I was a mistress of teleportation! It was I who invented the 'Travel' spell you wizards take advantage of! But did I get any appreciation? Were my skills used for a worthy cause? NO!" she disappeared, reappearing at the edge of the cliff. "Once the 'Travel' spell was passed around, I was deemed useless, even though my teleportation did not require magicka! It was Master Tobias who saw my true potential- having me use my stealth to kidnap enemies and gain inside information, disappearing in a blink! He admired my skills, and granted me power!"

Oliver shook his head. "But he's just using you! He just wants the wand! You said wizards use the Travel spell… well, Tobias was a wizard too! If he's released, he won't have a use for you anymore!"

"At least I would have been useful!"

"But you were always useful! Not everyone is a wizard anymore, and a lot of people need help. Before I had the Travel spell, I had to travel all over by foot in order to help people- some of them needed it right away!"

"Pah! At least you got appreciation! I was never admired for what I could do!"

"But… isn't that what being a Guardian is about? Protecting and helping everyone, no matter what? You were the one who gave them the Travel spell- if you wanted to feel so important, why did you do that?"

"Because… I was sick of running errands! I made the spell so that they could do things on their own, and I could do more important things!"

"You call kidnapping people and acting like a spy important? Is that what you really wanted, to betray the ones you were supposed to protect?"

"Oh, shut up already! Your Pure-Hearted speech will not work on me!" She disappeared once, appeared and grabbed him by the collar, before appearing by the cliff. "I'm not going to waste time on you- magic or not, you're too much of a threat!"

"Stop! You don't have to do this!" Oliver cried, thrashing in her grip as she was pushing him towards the edge!

She shoved him over, watching him fall…

Quickly he summoned his Ullaballoon, his familiar catching him and flying him back onto level ground. Persephone snarled, preparing to attack. She teleported here and there, making sure Oliver always had his back to her, but his familiar watched his back, alerting him.

She disappeared once more, appearing beside Kim. "No!" Oliver gasped as Persephone reached for Kim; he dove and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her away, while the monster grabbed her by the leg-

"AGH!" Persephone screamed, gripping her hand as if she burned it. She then swayed, as if dizzy.

Oliver looked. The monster had grabbed Kim's bad leg… and upon a closer look, realized why the bruise was growing. There was a splinter! He went to pull it out, but the poison stung him too. He grabbed an arrow- with no other choice, he used the tip of it to cut into her skin and pry the splinter out!

Upon effect, the arrow turned black and purple, and he quickly dropped it. Kim groaned, coming to. "Oliver…?" she whispered.

"Little brat!" Persephone snarled, shaking off her pain and grabbing the wizard once more. "Perhaps I will teleport you to Tobias himse-"

*Skish!*

She gasped, letting him go. Having acted quick, Kim grabbed the poisoned arrow and shot her in the flank with it! The monster stumbled around a bit, before collapsing on the ground.

"Kim! You're alright!" Oliver exclaimed, relieved.

"Yeah, thanks to you," Kim replied, standing up. She looked at his head, finding pieces of leaf still in it; brushing it out, the young wizard felt his own energy refurbish. "So that's it. As long as you're in contact with the poison, it can make you nauseas and you pass out. Now that we're free from it, we can keep going,"

"What about Persephone?" Oliver asked, looking over at the unconscious she-beast. "We can't leave that arrow in her… she might die!" he looked at Kim. "She said she sided with Tobias because she didn't feel appreciated enough… but I don't think that's the whole story,"

"What makes you say that?" Kim asked.

"When I faced rogue Guardians before, Shadar had changed their behaviors. I think Tobias might have corrupted her somehow… He corrupted them all," He looked at his locket. "If we can find a way to change them back…"

"But how? You can't use magic here,"

"…I know. That's why we have to find the others, and find a way off." He walked over to Persephone, seeing the poison bruise was spreading through her body. He pulled the arrow out and put it back in Kim's quiver. "Here, you can use that arrow if we face any more enemies. Let's go, before she wakes up."

Nodding, Kim followed him into the jungle. "I hope the others are okay… wherever they are,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trivia: The "Gobblers" are based off the monsters from the movie, Tremors; ironically enough, after playing Ni no Kuni II, I found that game had 'Fangfish' that burst out of the ground as well. 
> 
> This is the latest chapter of the story, thus far. I shall begin updating again sometime in the future. After all, we still need to see how the others are faring, and what dangers they're dealing with as well...
> 
> Now how about some reviews??


	22. Tangled Trap

When Biff opened his eyes, he found himself in the middle of a large briar patch; the thorns were all around him and looked as sharp as spears, the smallest branches as thick as his arms. He looked up, seeing only a circle of space giving him a view of a reddened sky. “Where is this place?” he gasped to himself.

“Ye got me, mun--- but it’s giving me bad feelings all over!” Drippy answered, and the leader saw that the fairy was still on his shoulder, giving him some relief that he was not alone. “Try to cast a spell to get us out of here, mun!”

Biff nodded, but his wand would not work. “Am I doing it right?” he said, trying to cast the ‘Travel’ spell.

“Something here must be cancelling it out.” Drippy then looked over, gasping.

“W-What is it?”

“I’m hoping it’s just my imagination, mun… but I think those thorns just moved!”

Biff gasped, seeing branches reaching out to them! He ducked and dodged, but there was little room to move and his wrists and ankles were bound, Drippy getting wrapped up in one branch! They screamed--- the touch of the thorns felt like acid and fire mixed together! The more they struggled, the tighter it got!

“D-Don’t move! Don’t move…” Biff gasped, both of them remaining still.

“What now?” Drippy whispered.

The leader tried to think, but was lost. He had no idea where they were, his friends were gone, he could not use his wand, and the thorns were starting to burn his skin. _I can’t give up… there’s got to be a way out! I have to get us out of here… I have to help save everyone!_ He thought, beginning to wince; the pain of the thorns was one thing, but it was the concern of never seeing his friends again that stirred up his tears, and they fell down his cheeks.

There came a soft hiss, as a tear hit one of the thorns… and the branch shriveled and receded! Biff had not noticed, his tears still falling; only Drippy caught a glimpse, watching that with every tear drop the thorns either shied away or receded quickly. “Oi, Biff! Keep at it!” he coached.

“H-Huh?” Biff sniffled.

“Youer tears, mun! The thorns can’t handle ‘em! Keep cryin’!”

Biff looked, seeing his feet were free; he tugged his arms forth--- the pain of the thorns drew out more tears and he wiped his eyes, the thorns releasing his wrists so not to risk contact. He then walked over to Drippy and wiped his eyes, touching the thorns and making them drop the fairy. He picked him up, holding him close; the vines stayed away, and he stood up, looking for a way out---

He ducked fast when a branch shot out, trying to gouge out his eyes! He hunched over, holding Drippy close like a doll, the thorns beginning to close over them! “Crikey, unless ye can flood the place, we don’t have much of a plan!” Drippy gasped; the fairy wanted to use his Tidy Tears, but felt his magic was restricted as well.

“We can’t give up… there’s got to be a way out!” Biff said, hunching lower…

Then he saw it.

The thorns only stretched so far; down by the ground, he saw their bases were void of thorns from a foot downward. He looked at the fairy, and whispered to him, “Drippy… you’re small enough, you can crawl through there and get out.”

“What about you, mun?” Drippy replied. “I can’t leave you stuck here!”

“You have to get out, Drippy… if at least one of us can get out and find the others, that’s all that matters. Go, quick--- while there’s still an opening!”

The fairy was hesitant, but obeyed the leader, wriggling through the tiny clearing at the base. Biff watched, the glow of his lantern getting farther away every minute, until he was left in the dark. Tears continued to run down his face, which was the only reason why the thorns did not wrap around his head, but it was only a matter of time before they were close enough to scratch out his eyes.

He had to keep himself calm. He thought of an old church song his grandmother taught him, which he always hummed whenever he felt nervous or afraid. “This little light of mine… I’m gonna let it shine…” he quietly sung to himself. “Oh, this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine… let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…”

The thorns stopped just then, as if listening. When Biff paused, they continued to grow towards him, so he kept singing.

“Hide it under a bushel, no—I’m gonna let it shine… hide it under a bushel, no--- I’m gonna let it shine…” As he did, the branches stopped; he recalled something his mother said about how it’s good to talk to plants… maybe singing a gentle song would help this sort of situation, he figured. “Hide it under a bushel, no--- I’m gonna let it shine… let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…”

He kept singing, the branches giving him a bit of space now. When that song was over with, he sung one of his favorite Beatle’s songs, ‘ _Can’t Buy Me Love’_ , and eventually--- much to his surprise--- the branches seemed to be ‘swaying’ as if dancing to the song!

There was enough room for him to move now, and he began to sway and slide, snapping his fingers as he sung; the more he moved, the more space that opened up; when he began to sing Elvis’ _‘Burning Love’_ he was already moving down a new path, the thorns opening up and ‘waving’ to the songs he sang.

“Biff! What’re ya doing, singin--- ehhh? How’d ye get through, mun??” came Drippy’s voice, as the fairy burrowed out and jumped on his shoulder.

“(shh, Drippy, just watch!)” Biff whispered to him, then quickly resumed singing a Davy Jone’s song. “’Cause I love you, you know I do, and it would make me happy if you love me too~”

“I don’t understand what’s going on, mun, but it’s working!” Drippy commented.

After about 20 songs, Biff and Drippy made it out of the giant briar patch, moving a great distance away from it before the leader stopped singing, his throat raspy. “…I guess those choir classes really paid off…” he croaked.

“Tidy, Biff! How’d ya figure out to charm a bunch o’ roots like that?” Drippy asked.

“I don’t know… I got nervous, so I started singing a song to calm myself down. As I did, the branches began to recede and sway--- I figured it’s the same method of how people talk to their plants to help them grow,” He rubbed his chin. “But… why didn’t they like my tears? You think they’re allergic to water?”

“Oi, I tried that mun… while I was crawling about, I mustered up a couple tears of my own, like, tried crying on the roots to make ‘em shrivel up, but it didn’t work! No, there’s something special about youer tears they didn’t like, Biffy-boy, ‘n’ something about youer singing really got ‘em to let loose!”

Biff nodded, then looked around. They were on a barren landscape; he saw mountains, a jungle, and a vast wasteland in the other directions, the latter seeming to lead out to the sea. “We have to find the others.” He decided, and began heading towards the mountain. “We might be able to get a better view from up above.”

“Oi, ye sure that’s a good idea, mun? Something about this place is all sorts of eerie; we can’t use magic, an’ we nearly got impaled by a flippin’ bush! It might be worse the further we go in,”

“I don’t care. Our friends might be here… and until we find them, I’m not leaving,”

Drippy smiled, giving him a pat on the head. “Aye, that’s what I like about ya, mun! Ye never leave a friend behind, even if youer chances are slim! Tidy, then, lets get a searching!”

The leader smiled, then pressed on across the rocky terrain. It was 40 paces before they came across trouble…

“C-Crikey!” Drippy gasped, seeing creatures looming up from behind or on top of boulders; they had the heads and scales of alligators, but body shapes like mountain lions, and horns like rams. “Looks like we’re in for a fight, lad!”

Biff took out his dagger, seeing as his wand would be of no use right now. He also summoned Gizmo as backup; the ‘liogators’ proved to be tough, as one swipe caused a lot of damage to the Tin-Man, and Biff had to summon him back to prevent him from being knocked out. The leader could feel his own energy wearing out, but he held strong, swinging his dagger at a liogator and striking it on the snout, while kicking another one in the neck when it lunged.

A liogator leaped up at him from a boulder and Biff ducked, thinking quick and sticking his dagger up, cutting its belly; the creature let out a screech of pain, tipping over and lying there, bleeding. “Oi, their bellies must be tender, mun! Try to get these creatures on their backs ‘n’ hit ‘em hard there!” Drippy coached.

A liogator snagged Biff by the arm, pulling him down, the third jumping on his chest and pinning him down. The fairy gasped and rushed in, jumping on one of their snouts, his lantern shining brightly in their eye and blinding them; while it thrashed around, trying to throw the fairy off, Biff managed to grab the other around the neck and roll, jabbing his dagger in its stomach and making it writhe in pain, pulling free and running off. He ran over to assist Drippy next, and just gave a swift kick to the remaining liogator’s stomach, making it roll over as Drippy leaped off. Seeing that its hunting party had dispersed, the monster took off next.

Biff breathed, and felt his energy return to him; Drippy sensed his aura grew a great deal from the battle experience. “Way to go, Biff! Ye really showed ‘em!” he exclaimed.

Biff looked over, seeing the liogator with the slashed stomach lying on the ground. It snarled at him weakly, but continued to lie there, too weak to get up. “Hey, Drippy… I thought creatures always disappeared in a puff of smoke after battle,” he questioned the fairy. “Why haven’t these ones disappeared?”

Drippy crossed his arms, giving a solemn look. “I guess in this place, they don’t get the chance to disappear; see, when ouer beasties do it, its because they have no energy left to fight ‘n’ disappear as a last resort, teleporting themselves somewhere safe to recover--- it’s a natural instinct all our creatures share. But I guess on this cursed isle, there is no safe place, so these beasties must have no other choice but to accept their fate,”

The liogator let out a groan, shutting its eyes. Having sympathy, Biff stroked its head, his tears welling up again. Granted, this monster tried to kill him, but that didn’t mean he felt good about taking its life. When it stopped breathing, he stood up and began to gather rocks, surrounding it and covering it up. “We’d better cover it up… I think that’s the best thing we can do,”

Drippy looked at him a moment; something about the leader felt familiar to him. The way he fought in battle, the sympathy he had for these creatures… it wasn’t until he recalled how his tears made the thorns shrink back that something in his mind clicked.

 _Seems like we’ve got another Pure-Hearted One visiting ouer world,_ the fairy thought. He walked over, helping Biff put rocks over the deceased liogator.

Afterwards, they stood up and continued up the terrain, coming across a dark tunnel. There was no other way through, so they had to push on. Biff was thankful for Drippy’s lantern, for it lit up the tunnel well enough for them to see; he had to have the fairy walk on the ground, however, in order to light the path so they could see where they were stepping.

It seemed to just be a straight-shot, as there was a light at the end of the tunnel. “I have to say, Biffy-boy, you’ve got a real knack for battle!” the fairy stated, deciding to keep track of the leader by talking to him.

“Thank you,” Biff replied.

“I mean, you’ve still got a thing or two to learn, no doubt, but they way ya carry youerself despite bein’ out o’ youer elements is really admirable! Who else would think to sing to a bunch o’ thorns to get free, or know how to use a dagger so well!”

“Hey, you’ve managed to help out, too. You’re the one who points out weaknesses, and your lantern is helping light the way now!”

“Ta, mun! But… an’ this may sound odd… ye really remind me a lot of Ollie-Boy. Kind, brave, loyal to a fault--- why, teachin’ ya magic reminds me of how he started out! Ye take everything in stride, mun, ‘n’ ye got a lot o’ heart! Why, if anything, I would have to say th’ two of ye could be---“

“Alright, Drippy, that’s enough!”

Drippy paused. “Ehh? What’s wrong, Biffy-boy?”

“I’m TRYING to think of a plan, but I can’t concentrate with all your yapping! Would you mind keeping quiet for at LEAST five minutes?!”

“Oi, the cheek! I’m trying to keep track o’ ya in the dark, complimenting youer efforts, an’ ye start snapping at me to can it!”

“Drippy, I’m not talking!”

“Oh, so I should stop talking too, is that it?!”

“No, I mean I wasn’t the one speaking! …That mimic-monster must be in here!”

Drippy froze. “Crikey, you’re right!” he went to hop up on his shoulder, but something kicked him across the ground! “Oof!”

“Drippy!”

The fairy stood up; to his horror, his lantern ended up cracked and turned off! “My lantern! My precious lantern!” he began to tremble. “Oi, this is the worst… I hate the dark!”

“Drippy, come towards me! I’m right over here!” came Biff’s voice.

“No! I’m over here! That’s obviously the mimic!” came Biff’s voice again!

The fairy looked right and left, not knowing which one to follow. “Biff! Take out youer familiar, mun!”

“Aye, I’m right over here!” came Drippy’s voice from another direction!

“What the--- OI! COPYCAT! Impersonations en’t funny!”

Meanwhile, Biff was trying to find the fairy in the dark, while trying to keep track of Salem. He thought carefully, remembering a method used on television where the hero had an evil clone, and his friends had to think of questions only the hero would know the answer to. He racked his brains, trying to figure out answers Drippy would know from the last few days…

“Hey, Drippy!” Biff called, using a nasally tone to distinguish his voice. “Where did we first meet?”

“Eh? We met in the Rollin’ Hills, mun! Ollie-boy had to save ye from a few beasties!” Drippy called. Biff walked in his direction.

“Good! But where did we find Kim, Fangs, and Puggsy?” came Not-Biff’s voice, mimicking his nasally tone as well.

“Kim was found in Perdida, Fangs in Castaway Cove, and Puggsy at the Fairy Grounds!” Drippy lied, then answered. “No, mun! Kim was at the Fairy Grounds, ‘n’ Mam was talking her ear off! Pugs and Fangs were trapped in the Golden Grove by a bunch o’ Boars!”

Biff caught on, finding Drippy was giving incorrect answers to counter Not-Biff’s questions. “When did we fly Tengri, and where?” the leader asked, this time making his voice deep.

“Right after ye learned magic, ‘n’ we flew from Perdida to Hamelin!” Drippy answered, and Biff made his way closer to him.

“Where did Cassiopeia end up?” Not-Biff mimicked in the same tone.

“In the middle of the sea!” Drippy lied, and Biff made his way closer.

Biff paused, sensing Salem was right near him, and braced himself. “Last question--- what happened to Swaine and Puggsy in Castaway cove?” he asked in his regular tone.

“They got in a fight, as always!” Not-Drippy answered.

“They got engaged by a couple slaps to the face!” Drippy laughed.

Biff tucked and rolled, grabbing the fairy when Salem lunged. He summoned Gizmo, who managed to fend off the creature while they made a break for the end of the tunnel. Biff could sense his familiar wasn’t holding up and summoned him back, and looked back to see a pair of glowing green eyes coming closer and closer…

At the last second, Biff whipped out his dagger and slashed the creature in his bad eye, making him screech in pain. “Rotten bastard! That eye was still healing!” the monster cursed him.

Biff and Drippy made it out, though with the red skies above they had a feeling the Mimic would not be afraid to exit the caves. The leader looked above, seeing boulders up above; summoning Gizmo one more time, he had his familiar use Sling-Stone to knock a bottom-rock loose, causing a landslide that sealed the cave!

“That won’t hold him for long… we gotta keep moving!” Biff panted, running ahead with Drippy.

“Agh, can’t believe it mun… should’ve known ye wouldn’t be the one saying such mean things!” Drippy groaned, embarrassed that he was fooled by Salem.

“Hey, he didn’t fool you completely. You managed to catch on to his game!”

“Aye, but it was because of youer help! Changing youer voice like ye did, askin’ questions only I’d know--- flippin’ brilliant, mun!”

“Not as brilliant as you making up answers to throw him off,”

“Oi, I was hoping that if he thought someone else were throwin’ voices, it would confuse _him_ for once!”

They looked ahead, seeing they were in a gorge; hurrying on, they saw the path went upwards, a climb awaiting them.

Stopping at the base, they decided to rest a moment. Biff decided to look at Drippy’s lantern. “Here, let me relight your lantern,” he said, taking out a lighter he kept in his pocket, igniting the fuse. “We’ll have to fix the cracks later,”

“Ta, mun… giving a bit o’ light is more than enough,” Drippy said with a grateful smile.

With that said, they started their climb to the top.


	23. Search and Rescue In Effect

_~Meanwhile, back in Castaway Cove~_

“This is troubling. We know nothing of the Forsaken Isle, and if it is true that Tobias’ magic contains darkness that rivals Shadar himself, Oliver and his companions…” Marcassin began as he and Cassiopeia rushed out of the village, but shook his head. “No. Negative thinking is not a choice now. Queen Cassiopeia, could there be something in your archives that would help us gain knowledge of this foreign landmark?”

“We can go look.” Cassiopeia stated. Casting ‘Travel’, they returned to the Ivory Tower, quickly heading to the Archives.

There came a cold chill, as Horace ghost-traveled alongside them. “My queen! I sensed a great alarm--- what has happened?!” the spirit asked in concern.

“It’s Oliver and the others--- those monsters took them to the Forsaken Isle! We must pinpoint its location, and rescue them at once! Surely, it should be listed in the Archives!”

Entering the library, they looked over the scroll that held the history of Tobias and his imprisonment, as well as casting ‘Insight’ to find any secrets, but it appeared that the prison that held both their enemy and their friends was to remain a mystery. “There’s no information on it anywhere… Damn it!” Marcassin cursed, slamming his fist on the table in aggravation and worry.

“There must be something here… anything!” Cassiopeia stammered in desperation, looking over the scroll for the tenth time that hour.

Horace pondered. “Wait… There is a Ghost Spell I can use--- it will cost much of my aura, but I am certain it will help!” he stated. He then began to float, hands clasped together, and he concentrated hard; after a few moments, he opened his eyes, his pupils glowing white. _“Angel’s Eye!”_

_His vision went white… he was looking through the clouds… he was soaring through the skies, going north of Nazcaa…_

_Then he saw the dark funnel of clouds, circling around an isle… his gaze zoomed forth…_

_But that was as far as he could go._

“H-Horace!” Cassiopeia gasped.

“I saw it… I saw the island!” Horace exclaimed… though his voice had changed. He sounded younger! “Huh? What happened to my voice?”

“Horace… you reverted into a childlike form!” Marcassin pointed out.

The ghost looked, seeing that he did, indeed, transform back into his pre-teen form--- the appearance he was in when he first met Oliver. “I see… Well, I DID say that spell would take up most of my aura! But never mind that! The isle is north of here--- it’s surrounded by dark funnel clouds, you can’t miss it.”

“Oh, thank goodness! Let us go there at once and---“ Cassiopeia exclaimed.

“Hold on! You can’t just rush there! I sensed something about that isle… I was trying to find Oliver, but I could not get any closer; something there is cancelling out magic!”

“That makes sense… If that isle was supposed to imprison Tobias, it would possibly make him or any wizard from using magicka.” Marcassin surmised. “We will have to find a way to infiltrate it without the use of spells… and I may know someone who can help.”

…

Casting ‘Fast Travel’, they arrived in Perdida to seek out Khublai; thankfully the Sky Pirate was not hard to find, having been in the middle of a discussion with Khulan. He and Cassiopeia quickly informed them of the situation, and requested the Sky Pirate’s aid.

“Be careful, my love. As for myself, I am going to meet with Rashaad and the other rulers, and see if they have found any information on those monsters. So far, I am afraid their progress has had little fortune.” Khulan stated. “I will not bring up that our Pure Hearted One has been captured, however; we cannot panic unless the situation is proven dire.”

“Arr, this be a coincidence indeed!” Khublai told them, as they boarded the Iron Wyvern; he hollered at his men to steer the vessel north. “My men and I were just reporting a monster we had seen--- a three-headed beast! Saw the swab a few days ago, trespassing in the Autumnian airspace, ‘n’ seeing it flying back here again, we took action! The Red Dragon sensed something fierce about it--- from the way he snarled, we knew this monster was not a benevolent beast. When it was flying too close, we shot it in the ribs with our cannons! Proved proper tough, however--- one head spat water, the other spat fire, either dousing or burning us before creating enough steam to blind us ‘n’ took off!”

“Did you see anyone in its grasp? That beast made off with two of our friends!” Marcassin questioned.

Khublai shook his head. “I’m sorry, yer majesty, but we could not get a close enough look in all th’ chaos. Who’d he take?”

“Esther, and a boy from another world… God forbid they’ve been dropped!” The sage put his palm on his forehead, doing his best to remain calm.

Cassiopeia could sense his tension, looking at Horace who could only shrug. Clearing her throat, she rested a hand on his shoulder. “We WILL find them, Marcassin. It is just as Khulan had said--- we cannot panic.” She looked to the skies as they flew amongst the clouds. “Speaking from experience, I know that letting despair take over resolves nothing and will only make things worse.”

The young sage only breathed, giving a nod before walking towards the edge. There came a familiar “Kyaaah!”, as Tengri suddenly caught up to the Iron Wyvern, the young dragon grunting and growling, stamping his foot in urgency. “Tengri?” Marcassin gasped; he cast Nature’s Tongue to hear what the dragon had to say.

 _“I saw one of those monsters that were at the Ivory Tower!”_ Tengri informed him. _“I caught sight of it flying past the Ivory Tower… I followed it, hearing Esther screaming; when it flew by here, it was shot in the ribs by a canon--- I knew it was the work of my old master, and I stayed out of the way, only to see it escaped. It still had them--- but I think its wound was slowing it down. I tried to catch up to it… but… something…”_

“Something… what?”

“ _Something just… startled me! Like my senses were telling me to turn away. There’s something not right across the ocean. I came back to get help, but I couldn’t find Oliver or anyone! It took me all morning to find you--- do you know where everyone is at?”_

“They’re where that monster was heading… but I am relieved that Esther and Puggsy had not been dropped; and if that beast is wounded, perhaps they have a chance of escape,”

“If that thing didn’t crash-land in the ocean, you mean.” Horace stated.

“Horace!” Cassiopeia scolded.

“Hey, I’m just being realistic!” Horace turned to Tengri. “Tengri, can you fly us there? You’re faster than this airship, and it would be a lot more subtle.”

 _“It’s dangerous there… but if my master and his friends are in trouble, I’ll have to get over it. Hop on!”_ Tengri replied.

“Wait, we don’t have the Dragon Horn—how would we call him?” Cassiopeia asked.

“Ha, no worries! Here!” Khublai exclaimed, tossing her a tiny silver flute. “This be a Dragon Whistle--- plays only a note our winged-friends can hear, that way whoever’s on that island won’t hear ya taking off! We’ll have the Iron Wyvern nearby for Tengri to rest upon; if ye need some of me men to tag along, just give the word!”

“Thank you, Captain,” Marcassin replied.

Climbing onto Tengri with two extra pirates, Marcassin, Cassiopeia, and Horace took to the skies.

 _Oliver… Esther… Gascon… Everyone, wherever you are, please be okay…_ Marcassin quietly prayed, keeping his eyes forward.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Khulan was informed by Rashaad that Solomon was holding a council meeting amongst the sages, rulers and village leaders in Al-Mamoon. The first thing that was brought up was what Rashaad and the Cowlipha had been informed of--- monsters from legend and people from another world and time ending up in their midst. The whole room was filled with chatter as she entered--- some of the village elders theorized the visitors from the different world were behind it all, King Tom was telling Rashaad about how his guards told him about the ‘strange talking creature with one fang’ who was seen in town, and Queen Lowlah was conversing with the Castaway Cove governor about the ‘odd new visitors’.

“Alright, everyone, quiet down!” Solomon called, beginning the meeting in the Cowlipha’s grand hall. “Just so you know, I myself have met these new visitors--- and I can assure you, they are too dimwitted to be deemed a threat. They know nothing of our world or magic, and are only trying to get back home. As for the monsters… well, I hope some of you don’t have trouble sleeping, but it is true a new threat has awakened, and is after the wand that brought those buffoons here in the first place!”

“I have met them as well, Master Solomon.” Khulan spoke up, informing the group of her encounter with one of the monsters, meeting Fangface, and how she and Khublai have been on-guard since then. True to her word, she did not bring up that their heroes have been kidnapped once more; rather, she shifted the subject onto the Supreme Sage. “It would seem you have knowledge of the wand they spoke of.”

“Of course I do! …I was hoping I would never have to share such knowledge, but the wand in question--- Serpens--- once belonged to a twit by the name of Tobias, the Sadistic Sorcerer. He dabbled in the dark artes, until he was defeated by the Wizard King and his wand banished out of our world and time… however, it would seem it found some way back into our world, and brought some foreigners with it. Oliver had brought them to my temple just yesterday--- in order to banish the wand and send them home, they were in need of my help. I provided the materials--- now the rest is up to them. …Though if monsters are still running loose, chances are they’ve goofed something up.”

“Have more faith in Oliver, Master. The boy may be young, but if he can defeat Shadar and reform the White Witch, he can help restore peace once more.” Rashaad responded.

“Did I say I had doubts in the Pure Hearted One? No, I did not! It is his visitors I deem incompetent… In the meantime, I propose we remain alert--- these monsters we’re facing are not the same as the ones that litter the land. They are from days of old and have many tricks--- teleportation, mind control, mimicry, and gas-lighting, you name it they’ll kill you with it.”

“How do you purropose we defend against such heinous creatures?” King Tom inquired.

“In simple terms, just keep Serpens out of your kingdom--- that wand attracts those monsters like a magnet! Otherwise the best thing to do is keep your wits about you--- keep your public informed, cancel any travelling plans, and see to it your guards have a stable trust in their units; keep track of everyone in your kingdoms and villages; and keep light spells on hand for those of you who have wands. For those without magic, best acquire some strong familiars to aid you. …That is the most I can advise. Let us return to our domains--- unless there is any further business to discuss?”

The Supreme Sage’s eyes drifted over to Khulan. She stood up. “Yes… I have received word from Prince Marcassin,” she stated in a calm tone. “He and Queen Cassiopeia are assisting the Pure Hearted One and his companions in their quest, and are currently searching for the location of Tobias while Novas is under construction.”

“I see… they wish to find the source, perhaps to help eradicate the threat entirely. Very bold,” Queen Lowlah replied.

“More like very stupid. The Forsaken Isle is filled with dangers that even the Pure Hearted One would have trouble with--- especially since it has the ability to restrain the magicka of even the most powerful wizard.”

Khulan did her best to keep her composure. “Surely Oliver’s heart would be strong enough to withstand such darkness,”

“Ha! The only ‘dark’ thing there is Tobias’ tomb! Any threat there was created by the Wizard King to insure that the Sadistic Sorcerer could not escape… but should that wand find its way to the very heart of the island where he had been imprisoned, there would be nothing to hold him back.”

“Meoh? I would have thought the scoundrel dead, as far back as the tale goes!” King Tom stated in surprise.

“Don’t be a fool… you know that wicked hearts do whatever it takes to keep beating,” Solomon sat up straight, letting out a sigh. “Hopefully, once again, that boy wizard will prove pure hearts prove to be the strongest. …Meeting adjourned.”

Khulan returned to Perdida first to check on the villagers; thankfully all was still well.

She looked up to the skies, hoping the same went for the rest.


	24. An Agonizing Trek

It all happened so quickly.

One minute they were up in the air, being carried away by Titan; the only sounds to be heard were the beating of his wings, the rush of the wind in their ears, and Puggsy shouting every curse and filthy name to the monster. He hung on to Esther tightly, and she did the same to the wand--- even when the monster threw them, dropped them, and swung them around, they managed to hold on strong.

Then came the cannon fire. A blast hit Titan right in the ribs, making all three heads roar in pain; they blasted fire and water at their attacker, before disappearing in a cloud of steam.

Esther had looked, seeing a glimpse of something purple behind them… Tengri! The dragon was following them!

But he turned back, a stunned look on his face.

Minutes later, Titan slowed, his wings suddenly unable to support his weight. “We have to land!” the red head groaned.

“No! We’re almost there! Keep pushing onward!” The blue head snapped.

“Uggghhhh…” The yellow head groaned, as it was clear the monster was in severe pain.

Esther looked, seeing Titan’s wound was still bleeding, the gash opening further the more the dragon moved. Puggsy noticed as well and--- seeing that he was closer, tipped Serpens upside down and waited for his opportunity…

They were soon surrounded by dark clouds, flying above an island. The short teen took this chance and jammed Serpens upward, the pointed end of the wicked wand piercing the open wound, making Titan screech out in pain and swerve downward! The surge of agony caused the monster to release the two, and it fell ahead of them. Seeing that there was nothing below but solid ground, Puggsy held Esther tightly, handing her the wand, and moved them through the air until he could grab onto one of Titan’s spikes, hanging on as the dragon veered towards the earth…

With a crash that shook the land, the three-headed dragon slid across the field, Puggsy and Esther jumping off and rolling out of harm’s way, watching as the dragon crashed into the side of a mountain; the yellow head was unconscious, the red head was dazed, and the blue head was spraying water on the wound before passing out.

Not wasting any time, Puggsy and Esther ran across the field, not stopping until they were far from Titan; they stopped and ducked behind a boulder to catch their breath. “Are you okay?” the familiar tamer asked the teen, holding her side.

“I think I sprained something in the landing, but it’s nothing. What about you?” Puggsy asked in turn.

“I landed on the wand when we jumped… it’s just a bruise though,” Esther replied, though looking at her stomach she saw the bruise was already turning black and was quite large! She took out her harp, trying to strum a healing hymn, but upon trying two of the strings snapped! She gasped, then turned to Puggsy. “Pugs, you still have my wand, don’t you? Can you cast ‘Healing Touch’?”

Puggsy took out the wand she had given him, but the rune would not work for him. “I-I must not be doing it right…” he stammered, handing it to Esther. “You try,”

She did so, but nothing happened. She couldn’t even feel any power within it, even though she was sure they each had plenty of magicka! “Something is cancelling out our magic…” she took a deep breath. Keeping calm, she summoned Gogo and had her familiar cast ‘Healthy Glow’--- thank goodness that did the trick, eradicating her bruise and healing Puggsy’s sprain. “Oh thank God… our familiars can still use their skills,”

“Yeah… now the only problem is getting back to the others,” Puggsy looked around; there was a path that led upwards into some hills. “If we can get high enough, maybe we can see where we are.”

They walked up the path. “I saw Tengri following us… but he turned around and flew away. Something scared him,” Looking around and seeing nothing but dead grass, dirt, and withered plant life, the bard gave a shudder. “I’m getting a bad feeling about this place, too…”

“It ain’t exactly Beverly Hills to me, either.” Walking up a high hill, they scoped out their surroundings; there was a jungle nearby, mountains ahead, and a dark forest with a purple river that seemed to be running through it. From the way the island was built, the landmass had no slopes, meaning all around there were just cliff edges that dropped off into the ocean.

And from their vantage point, they could spot Titan in the distance; the dragon was still unconscious much to their relief.

Esther looked around the area, noticing something strange. “Puggsy… there’s nothing here.”

“I can see that--- this place is barrenable enough to be a desert!” Puggsy agreed.

“No, I mean… there aren’t any creatures around here!” They walked back down to the path, as she scanned the area. “There’s normally some sort of animal that roams around--- even Nazcaa during its desolation had wild beasts wandering around! But I can’t see or hear any around here… it’s too still and quiet.”

The short teen realized she was right. When he first came here, he could barely walk five feet without getting ambushed by something! But they had been wandering for a solid twenty minutes since their crash-landing, and nothing seemed to be on the prowl. It was both a relief and a disturbance: on one hand, that meant they didn’t have any monsters to fend off; on the other, it meant there was probably something worse nearby.

“Well… standing around won’t do us any good.

We have to find a way back,” Puggsy replied, even though he had no idea how they could accomplish such a feat. But he had been in tricky situations before, and never needed magic or whatnot to escape!

Of course, he always had Fangface by his side; sure, the short teen had his share of getting the werewolf out of tough scrapes as well, but when it came to cases where he and/or the others were trapped, Fangface was the one who got them out alive; if not him, then his cousin--- Fangpuss--- would be their _deux ex machina_ for their crisis.

He looked at Esther as they continued to walk, thankful that he wasn’t alone; and the bard did point out they still had their familiars to help aid them. The skies were dark with clouds high overhead, a red tint to the atmosphere which reminded the teen too much of movies where the sky was always a hellish color when the heroes were about to face the main villain in a battle to the death…

Suddenly he wished he hadn’t given Fangs that sword.

A hand grabbed his just then, and he looked at the familiar tamer. She gave him a reassuring smile, as if she could sense he was feeling overwhelmed. He smiled back at her, giving a nod of gratitude and--- not letting go--- they continued up the path.

…

They walked for what seemed like hours, coming to find that the path split up into a fork, and climbed up a hill to see where each path would lead; up ahead each end they could tell it split up into several more paths, which connected to others, practically being a maze of sorts! They considered just walking through the hills rather than risk getting lost, but did not want to risk being spotted easily by Titan should he regain consciousness, nor any other enemies that may be lurking about.

So they marked their trails; using her wand, Esther carved a heart into the start of every path they took. If they walked and saw the heart, they would turn back and go down a new path. Eventually, they needed to stop and rest; Puggsy took this time to work on his gun, feeling he would need a weapon of sorts just in case. Esther stood by, keeping watch with Gogo.

Puggsy sighed, putting his gun away. “It’s no use… I can put together a broken wand, but it’s the gun that gives me problems.” He muttered, stuffing the pieces back into his bag.

“Here,” Esther said, and summoned a Paladin Partridge. “You can borrow Lancelot; at least this way we’ll both have two familiars.”

Puggsy arched an eyebrow, summoning the ave forth. “How many of these things do you have?”

“You can carry up to 3 with you, and any more you tame will go to the Familiar Retreat,” Esther then handed him her wand. “And you can still use my wand--- it can’t do magic, but you can still use it as a bludgeon,”

“Heh, thanks… but what about you?”

Esther held up the pocket knife he had given to her. “I still have the knife you gave me. I’m alright,”

“Alright… Are you sure you know how to use it?”

“Yes… when I was younger, I used to carry a dagger with me. But when I learned how to tame familiars, I felt I had no use for it anymore,”

“You carried a dagger as a kid?”

“Yes… almost everyone did,” They continued to walk up the path as she spoke. “Before Oliver came along, Shadar had everyone in constant peril. My mother insisted I carry a knife with me for defense, telling me to have courage in those times. After I formed Gogo and found my magic revolved more around the ‘Bard Arcane’, I had left it at home and instead focused on using my harp and familiars. …it wasn’t much, but I didn’t really realize such until Shadar came to Al-Mamoon; he wanted my father to surrender to his will. When he refused, the Dark Djinn stole my Courage in order to teach him a lesson. I had closed my heart, afraid of letting anyone get close to me...

“Then Oliver came. He found my soulmate--- her name is Myrtle Cartwright--- and managed to help her in order to help open my heart, and used the courage she had to return my own.” Esther smiled at the memory. “That was when I joined him, deciding to do what I could to aid him in his quest to defeat Shadar. I mainly just helped heal everyone and tame familiars, but regardless of my role I was going to stay by his side--- even to the final battle.”

“Sounds like you guys have been through a lot together,”

“More than you realize… oh.” She looked down, seeing they came across a heart in the path. “I think we went in a circle.”

Puggsy patted her shoulder. “Let’s focus on finding our way out, then you can tell me more about your adventure, okay?”

Esther nodded, and they continued onward.

…

They had gone left and right so many times Puggsy could hardly keep count. The paths had grown more confusing, as each new one connected to an old one, so they were seeing hearts almost every twist and turn. Esther took to drawing an ‘X’ by each heart now, but even she was growing tired of making marks.

When they stopped to rest, Puggsy sent Rex up a hill to scan the area. The Dinocerous returned and shook his head, as even going uphill wasn’t making navigation any easier.

“There has to be a path we haven’t walked on…” Esther groaned, making another ‘X’ in the ground.

Puggsy stood up just then, his eyes wide. Without another word he began walking up a path. Rex grunted, curiously following him.

“Huh? Puggsy? Puggsy! W-Wait up!”

The short teen walked straight, before taking a left; after 30 paces he took a right for 45 paces, before walking onto another path on the right. Esther followed, trying to talk to him, but he wasn’t responding; she was worried--- he was in a trance of sorts!

Finally they came across a new path… this one connecting the dried fields to nothing but bedrock that slanted uphill. She looked around, seeing once again no creatures were around--- worse, Rex grunted, backing away in fear but stomping wildly at the fact that Puggsy was still walking!

Esther raced after him, seeing he was walking towards a pit! “Puggsy! STOP!” she yelled, grabbing his arm, but he pulled away…

It was then she noticed he was clinging to Serpens tightly, holding the wand away from her as he pried out of her grip, and the scepter seemed to have a red glow to it, which was getting brighter the closer he walked to the pit.

Acting fast, she ran forth and tackled him, yanking the wand free from his grasp! “H-Huh…? What the…?” Puggsy groaned, snapping out of the trance.

“Pugs! Serpens had you under a tr…” Esther tried to warn, but upon holding the wand she went into a trance herself, and began walking towards the pit next!

Puggsy shook his head, and quickly grabbed her; he didn’t know what was inside that pit, but he didn’t like the idea that the young girl was walking towards it! “Esther, no! Drop the wand! I SAID DROP IT!” he shouted; he held up her wand and--- not knowing what else to do--- bopped her on the head with it!

“Ow!” Esther dropped Serpens, rubbing the bump on her head.

“I’m sorry! But you were completely zombified!” Puggsy looked at the wand, seeing it was pulsating a red color. “W-What’s it doing?!”

“I don’t know… I think it senses Tobias is nearby--- he must be in that pit!” Esther gasped. “I think once we got close, it entranced you into bringing it here…”

Puggsy rubbed his head; he recalled his mind going blank, and a voice giving him directions. “Damn that wand… but if we can’t pick it up, what are we supposed to do with it?”

 _“Throw it in the pit!”_ came an ominous voice.

The two jumped, turning towards the pit. “W-W-Who said that?!” Esther stammered; unlike the vision of Tobias, this voice was different.

_“It is I, Devion, Master of Agony and Despair and Tobias’ most loyal servant. Bring the wand forth… and all your troubles will be over,”_

“Yeah right--- like I’m really going to believe someone who calls themselves the master of agonization and despairation!” Puggsy snapped, kicking the wand further away from the pit.

_“You are too close to be mouthing off, boy… perhaps I should teach you a lesson!”_

“Agh!” Esther cried, falling on her knees; Puggsy looked, seeing tears running down her face as she gasped with pain. “M-My body… it hurts… ow!”

Puggsy gasped, then turned to the pit. “What are you doing to her?!”

_“I am merely living up to my title… now either bring us the wand--- with every second you hesitate, the pain will worsen until her heart gives out!”_

“Don’t do i--- aaaaggghhhh!” Esther cried, lying on the ground, writhing in pain; she was hyperventilating, the pain growing more severe with every second. It felt worse than any wound that she gained in battle, and it was only getting more intense. “OWWW! P-PUGGS---AAAUUGHHH!”

“E-Esther!” Puggsy stammered, unable to see her in such pain. He turned to the pit. “STOP IT, YOU BASTARD! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SHE’S JUST A KID!”

 _“THEN BRING US THE WAND!”_ Devion bellowed.

Esther gasped, a strangled cry escaping from her throat; the pain was so bad she could barely cry out anymore, and breathing felt harsh…

In her view, she looked at Puggsy, seeing him grab the wand and walk towards the pit…

The pain was making her black out…

…

“You want this wand so bad…?!” Puggsy growled, grabbing the glowing scepter; his mind was clouded with anger, his vision tainted red like the sky. “Well here’s a magic trick for ya!”

Power surged around him, and he cast a spell, sending forth a beam of light into the pit! There was a screech, and the wand for the time stopped glowing; acting quick, he mentally ordered Rex to grab Esther and carry her a safe distance away; he ran behind them, hearing a roar of anger coming from the pit, but it did not sound like Devion.

They ran over the hills now, heading in one direction until the pit was out of sight. There came another roar, and they ran down, finding a treeline and ducking beneath some undergrowth; he glared at the scepter, seeing there was still a hint of a glow to it. “Would you just conceal yourself?!” he hissed.

The wand stopped glowing, as if obeying his command. He then stuffed it under his belt, covering it with his open vest. He then looked at Esther, thankful to find she was still breathing. “Esther? Wake up,” he whispered, pulling her onto his lap and tapping her cheek. “Can you hear me?”

Esther groaned, opening her eyes. “Puggsy…?” she rasped; she then gasped, sitting up. “Serpens! T-That pit---!”

“Calm down, I still have the wand… I wasn’t going to give that creepo the satisfaction of victory after the shit he pulled,”

“How…?”

“I picked up the wand. Considerating it obviously still had the ability to do magic, I decided to cast a bit of magic myself and shot a ‘Spear of Light’ into that pit,”

“Hee hee, you mean ‘Arrow’ of Light… but, every time we held that wand, we were put into a trance! How did you…?”

“I don’t know--- I was so angry that I guess they couldn’t fight my stubbornness this time, heh.”

Esther sighed with relief. “I’m glad… but don’t let anger cloud your mind too much. It could be used against you,”

“I know… I guess I got lucky this time. But enough about me--- how do you feel? Are you okay?”

Esther shifted, finding the agony was gone but she still felt weak. “My body doesn’t hurt anymore, but I feel tired…”

The short teen stood up, having her climb on his back, and he carried her down the new path. He summoned Rex back, sensing his familiar was tiring out. “Sorry again for bumping ya on the head,”

“It’s okay… I had to tackle you to snap you out of it,”

“That was a tackle? Huh, and here I thought I got knocked over by a gust of wind,” She gave him a look and he smirked. “Ah, I’m kidding. Thanks for helping me regain my senses.”

She smiled. “Thanks for getting us away from that damn pit,”

Puggsy feigned a gasp. “Esther! Language!”

The two of them chuckled, making their way down the path.

Hopefully, they had faced the worst of their problems.


	25. Rumble in the Jungle

In one second, they were on the pier in Castaway Cove.

In the next, they were standing in a swamp and sinking!

“YIKES!” Fangs screamed, tugging his legs in a desperate attempt to break free, but they were firmly stuck!

Swaine thought fast, looking around; the canopy above them was a tangled mess of thick branches that blocked the sky. “Hang on!” the thief told him, grabbing him by the arm and shooting his grapping hook upward where it latched onto a branch. However, the swamp seemed to ‘pull’ them firmly, as if making sure they couldn’t break free. “Dammit, what kind of swamp is this?!”

“I don’t know, but I don’t want to die in it!”

“Oh, like I do?!” Swaine gasped, seeing that they were starting to sink faster the more they struggled! “Okay, calm down! Don’t move. We have to calm down and think…”

“Those are two things I’m not good at, Swaine!”

Swaine tugged his arm firmly. “Then it’s time you start training again!” The thief took in a deep breath; the swamp was past their knees now, and he was still holding his gun firmly. “Just hang on to me--- as long as I keep hold of my gun, I can at least try to keep our heads above the marsh,”

Fangs looked around as he hung on to Swaine’s arm with both hands. “I really hate swamps… the last time we were in a swamp, an electrified monster was chasing after us! I’m afraid to find out what kind of monsters _this_ place has--- I’ve already seen enough!”

Swaine grunted, noticing that Fangs was sinking faster than he was--- the swamp was already up to the teen’s waist! “D-Don’t think like that! Just… *sigh* Just focus on calming yourself down while I try to figure something out! …Urk!”

Fangs was hugging him around the abdomen, whimpering. “I wanna go home…!”

“Fangs…!”

The thief paused, noticing that the swamp was starting to suck him in further! With Fangs clinging so close to him, the teen was helping pull him down. But how?! They were practically the same weight, and not that far in height…

He observed what was going on--- the more Fangs whined and stammered, the quicker he was sinking! “Hey,” Swaine spoke calmly, patting Fangs on the back. “Fangs, look at me.”

The teen did so, terror and worry filling his eyes.

The thief thought back to when he and Marcassin were kids, when his little brother would be afraid at night; or during his travels with Oliver, when the young wizard would wake up from a horrible nightmare about Shadar. He spoke to Fangs the same way he spoke to both of them: “It’s going to be alright. I’m scared too--- but panicking isn’t going to get us out of this swamp. Just hold on, and we’ll find a way out,”

He felt a tug upward; he shifted his legs--- they were still stuck, but the pull of the swamp felt weaker now. But Fangs was still sinking a bit, and the [teen] coward clung to him tighter, gasping.

“Fangs. Hey. Keep looking at me.” Swaine coaxed. “You have to try thinking positive.”

“H-How?” Fangs stammered. He was slipping past the thief’s waist now!

Swaine grabbed his arm again. “Just focus on something good… Think about what you’re going to do when you get home again. What are your plans?”

“Plans? W-Well… I might read some comic books--- the store just got a new issue of my favorite Moon Man comic book. And, geez after all this I might give my mom a call… I’ll go see my cousin too—gosh, I’m glad we didn’t bring him with this time, I’d hate to see him in this place---“

“Fangs! Positive thoughts. What else?”

“Huh? Ooh, right! Well, maybe Pugs and I will go to the arcade. And maybe go get some pizza a la mode--- that’s pizza with icecream on top, you should try it sometime! I mean, granted, I always see weird stuff when I eat it, but it’s still pretty good. Ooh! And I’m gonna meet up with my college friends and play some ‘Dungeons and Dragons’--- boy, when I tell them about this place, we’ll really have a heck of a game! And I’m going to ask out that pretty girl who sits behind me in history class, and watch the newest episode of _M*A*S*H,_ and… and… and…”

Fangs’ voice trailed off; while he was speaking, he had failed to realize he had been loosed from the swamp, and Swaine’s grappling hook gun was pulling them upward!

Very…. Very high up.

“Eek!” Fangs flailed, pulling himself upward and wrapping his arms and legs around Swaine’s torso, clinging to him like a koala!

“Urk! Fangs! Easy!” Swaine grunted. The sudden movement gave the grappling hook an extra tug, and he had a feeling the cord wasn’t going to hold out! He looked around, seeing some vines nearby. “Fangs, summon your familiar! Have it bring us some of those vines!”

Fangs did so, Eclipse popping out of his chest. When the winged cat brought over the vines, the teen had his familiar wrap them around a branch within length that was close to the bank. He was then summoned back once the thief gave them a firm tug to check their stability.

“Ready?” Swaine asked Fangs as they held tight to the vines. 

“No.” Fangs answered.

“Too bad--- hang on!” Swaine then had his hook retract before the cord gave out, and they swung over the swamp!

“AAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” Fangs screamed the whole way, until they crashed into a tree! “OOF!”

“Ow…” Swaine groaned, as they slipped down the vine and stood on soft ground. Standing mainly on arching tree-roots, the two made their way over to firm soil. They took a breath, looking back at the marsh. “Well, we’re out of THAT mess… now to find a way out of this place,”

“Hey, Swaine? How did we get out of there? I thought we were stuck good!” Fangs asked him as they walked through the mess of trees.

“Didn’t you notice? The more we griped and moaned, the faster we would sink. That marsh responded to our emotions--- when we both calmed down, it lost its hold on us.”

“Ooh, ooh! It was making us sink because we were being negative?” Fangs scratched his head. “…I feel like I’ve heard about that before,”

“Yes, well, now we have to get back to the others… wherever they are.” The thief looked around, finding they were in a jungle of sorts. “Hell, I don’t even know where WE are…”

The teen slumped. “Well, there go my spirits,”

_*rustle rustle*_

Both of them froze, looking over at the bushes. Swaine carefully placed his hand on his holster, not liking the way the leaves shifted. Fangs, in the meantime, stepped behind him and hoped it was just the wind; he paused turning and looking over his shoulder…

“SWAINE, LOOK OUT!” Fangs screamed, pulling the thief out of the way as a large creature jumped off from a tree branch up high; a second one burst from the bushes they had been focused on, and Swaine didn’t hesitate to fire at them.

The monsters stood taller than they did; they had purple fur with black tiger stripes, their heads like bears with long fangs sticking out of their jowls, arms and legs like gorillas, and horns sticking out of their muzzles like rhinoceroses. “What the bloody hell?!’ Swaine cursed, and quickly summoned a strong familiar, his Bedraggle, to fend off the beasts while he fired. He turned to Fangs. “Now would be a GOOD TIME to transform, Fangs!”

“Why do you keep saying that?!”

 _Shit--- I keep forgetting he has no clue! Dammit!_ The thief recalled. “Never mind! Just summon your familiar and get your sword out! These things won’t be running off anytime soon!”

“Can _we_ run then?!”

“FANGS!”

The teen whimpered, but turned and faced one of the monsters in front of him. “Nice… um… ape-bear-tiger thing! Niiiiiice boy!”

The monster roared in his face.

“Gah! I mean, nice girl?!”

The monster swiped at him and he ducked, dodging its strike and rushing to put some distance between the two of them. Swaine, meanwhile, felt his Bedraggle starting to wear out already and switched him out with his Gruffian to help fend off the other monster. He had his familiar start out with “Earsplitter”, which stunned the creatures for only a few moments, but the attack did not faze them.

Eclipse was swiping and dodging another monster, but he was starting to run out of energy, the affect spreading to Fangs who was feeling exhausted from evading so much. Swaine had to switch to Gunther, as his Gruffian was starting to grow tired as well, his familiar using Rock Fall to hit one of the monsters in the face. 

Despite their attacks, the monsters did not look harmed in the slightest, standing strong and fierce--- if only a little aggravated, as if the attacks were nothing more than an irritation. “They’re too strong--- we have to escape!” the thief had to admit aloud, summoning Gunther back. “Fangs, we have to run!”

“Oh, so NOW we get to run away?!” Fangs retorted, rushing to his side as the two of them turned to flee, but the beasts cut them off.

Eclipse, acting on instinct, leaped forth and used Mighty Light, blinding the monsters long enough for Swaine and Fangs to make a break for it. The winged cat flew up to his owner, mewling in exhaustion, and Fangs quickly summoned him back before both of them could pass out.

They ran down the path, hearing ferocious snarls and growls behind them. The monsters were hot on their trail!

“W-Where are we going?” Fangs panted.

“I don’t know--- first we have to drop these beasts!” Swaine answered in haste.

Both paused, suddenly finding they weren’t moving anymore and their legs were trotting in the air… and they looked to see that they had run out of ground. Both of them looked at each other, before giving yelps as they fell down into a ditch!

*THUD!*

The two monsters in pursuit came to the edge, sniffing around, but seeing as their prey was no longer in sight, they turned and trudged off; down below, the two cowards lay in the dirt, their bodies feeling paralyzed, both of them emitting agonized groans.

Five minutes passed before Fangs found the strength to get up, Swaine doing the same. Both of them sat up, rubbing their aching necks as they looked up; thankfully the other side of the ditch was in a slant they could easily climb up.

A hissing sound prevented them from making a move. The thief had to stifle a cry; crawling out of the dirt were several long, scaly snakes of different colors--- green, purple, black, red, yellow, spotted, striped… but all as thick as their arms and baring long sharp fangs.

The two got to their feet, backing up against the wall of the ditch; the snakes slithered too close, and the path was practically blocked.

“Fangs. Don’t. Move.” Swaine whispered, though felt like a hypocrite as he couldn’t keep from trembling.

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Fangs gulped.

The thief looked around, desperately scanning the layout for an escape, but there was no way to climb up the wall, and no opening for them to slip through; there was nothing but scales as far as the eye could see. He gasped as a snake slithered up to his ankle, beginning to arch up, flicking its tongue.

Fangs’ mind raced. “Wait… I got an idea!” he whispered, and reached into his cap, pulling out a flute! “If we play a song, m-maybe we can tame them, like snake-charmers!”

“Well I hope you’re good at music, because I’m too tone-deaf AND hate snakes too much to do it!” Swaine replied, tensing up as the snake by his ankle began to coil around his leg. “Guh! H-Hurry and do something!”

“Okay, okay! (Ooh, 5th Grade music class, don’t fail me now!)” Fangs took a deep breath, and began to play on the flute.

He had to be careful and concentrate; the snakes stilled, paying attention to the song. If he missed a note, they would hiss and flinch (and Swaine panicked when the snake on his leg constricted!) Fangs managed to focus, playing the song and making the snakes calm down and sway, the one around the thief’s leg loosing up enough for the older man to slip away.

They then moved forward, Fangs concentrating on the flute, watching as the snakes parted around him as he moved, Swaine following close behind him. Once they were on the slant and a good ten feet away from the snakes, he stopped playing and they broke into a sprint!

They didn’t stop running until they were sure there was some distance between them and the snake-infested ditch. Out of breath, Swaine leaned against a tree, Fangs sitting on a rock. “I hate snakes… I really, REALLY hate snakes!” the thief wheezed, cringing as he could still feel the touch of the smooth scales on his shin.

“You’re afraid of snakes? Ooh, ooh, I figured you’d be afraid of something a lot worse with all the creepy creatures you’ve got in this world!” Fangs commented.

“Yeah, well… I’ve had a bad experience with a snake before. I ended up croaking--- _literately_.”

“Yeah? I had to deal with one that was 50 feet tall!”

“Alright, alright, it’s not a competition! I’m just glad you managed to do something useful,”

Fangs stood up straight. “That’s a funny way of saying ‘Thank you for saving our asses’!”

“I didn’t exactly get much appreciation when I got us out of that swamp! Plus, you didn’t exactly pull your weight in that fight--- Eclipse even had to take action himself when you didn’t give any commands! In case you haven’t grasped the situation yet, Fangs, you’re not in the safety of your world--- and as long as you’re here, you’re going to have to put that sword to use and grow a pair!”

“Swaine…”

“No, I don’t want to hear it. Right now, we’re in a bad situation--- we have no idea where we are, no clue what happened to the others, and until we can figure out a plan, you have to show some backbone!”

“S-Swaine!”

“I’m tired of you cowering all the time! You have to fight, or else---!”

“SWAINE!”

“WHAT?!”

“DUCK!” Fangs quickly unsheathed his sword and swung it!

Swaine gasped, barely dodging as the blade hit the trunk of the tree… and falling to the ground was the head of a snake, its body dangling limply from a branch above him. He stood there, frozen in shock for a minute, before looking at Fangs, who grasped the blood-stained blade tightly.

The teen let out a breath, giving him a look. “How’s THAT for having a backbone?”

The thief composed himself, letting out a breath. “Yeah, well… I knew that snake was there. I was just motivating you, that’s all! …See? I knew you had it in you!”

Fangs rolled his eyes. “Sure, Swaine. Sure.”

“*ahem* L-Lets just find a way out of this jungle,”

“ _Now_ we’ve got common ground,”

…

The two walked through the jungle for what seemed like hours. It wasn’t until they came across the decapitated snake-head again that they realized they had been going in circles. Swaine looked up at the canopy, trying to find some form of sunlight. “Lets send our Familiars up there--- maybe they can find the edge of this forest.”

Summoning the Bedraggle and Astralynx, they sent their companions up to the tree-tops. After five minutes, they returned, pointing westward as if to say, ‘Freedom is this way!’

“So we’ll just have to keep going west… hopefully we can stay in a straight line,”

“You and me, both. …I wish we could keep our familiars out longer, I’m starting to like having him close,” Fangs said, rubbing Eclipse’s head.

Swaine patted his Bedraggle, before summoning him back. “Yeah, they’re good company.”

The teen looked at his Astralynx, rubbing behind his ear. “No kidding. Now that I think about it, it’s pretty cool--- having a cat that can fly, use superpowers, and has a little moon on his forehead! A… a little… m-moon…?”

The thief looked at Fangs, noticing his voice trailing off. “Fangs? You okay?”

Fangs didn’t respond… just started spinning! Eclipse mewed in surprise, watching as his master changed forms! Within a matter of seconds, there stood Fangface! “ARRROOOOOOOO!” The werewolf howled, then looked around with pent-up energy. “*grr* Where’s Pugs?! Where is he?! …Hey, you!”

“What the--- gah!” Swaine yelped as the werewolf grabbed him by the front of his jacket, lifting him up and shaking him!

“Where’s Pugs?! *grr* Spill it!”

“(Oh, you’ve GOT to be kidding me…!)” Swaine groused, before squirming out of the werewolf’s grip. “He’s not around here, idiot! In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve been separated from our friends!”

“Huh?!” Fangface looked around, confused. “Ooh, you’re right! How did we get split up?!”

“It’s… a long story.” As they walked, Swaine explained everything, hoping that the werewolf would at least recall some shred of detail from his human counterpart’s memory.

He managed to get the gist of it. “So those rotten monsters took us away… *grr* Ooh, when I get my paws on them, I’ll tear ‘em to shreds!”

“Well, first we need to find a way back from… wherever the hell we are,” Swaine sighed, looking ahead. The jungle seemed to go on for miles, and as thick as the foliage was, not to mention the kinds of monsters they were unfamiliar with, he was certain this was not going to be an easy trek.

There came a growl just then, and the two monsters from before leaped out in front of them! “Whoa! What are these things?!” Fangface cried.

“A couple pains in the asses--- they’re too strong for us to fight, we have to make a break for it!” Swaine told him.

The werewolf scoffed. “YOU might not be strong enough… but I don’t back down so easily!” With a determined howl, Fangface rushed the two monsters!

“Fangface, don’t---!”

Swaine watched, seeing the werewolf catch one of the monsters by the wrist and slam it onto its partner! The other creature was furious, bucking its partner off and tackling Fangface, both of them getting into a vicious fight until the werewolf got the upper hand, hoisting the creature up in the air and spinning it around before throwing it over a tree-branch! The first monster got its wind back and began to rile itself up, a light pulsating from it.

“It’s about to do something! Brace yourself!” Swaine warned.

Suddenly the creature jumped high in the air, ricocheting off trees before launching itself straight at the werewolf like a torpedo, slamming him into a tree and knocking the wind out of him. “Agh! My ribs…!” the werewolf groaned, and the creature stood over him, preparing to strike---

A Mug-Shot hit it in the side of the face, as Swaine got its attention. The creature, still psyched up, leaped and pinned him to the ground, knocking his gun out of his hand! Eclipse hissed, jumping on its back, but the creature grabbed the winged feline and threw it into the foliage, before preparing to rip out the thief’s throat.

Fangface saw something floating down by him--- a little golden ball of light. “Huh? What’s this…?” he whispered, touching it--- and suddenly it absorbed into him, and he glowed in a bright light.

Something stirred within him, and suddenly he was full of energy, a boost in strength; he then stood up and let out a long, ear-piercing howl, a flaming shield glowing not only in front of him, but also Swaine--- the force-field protecting the older man from the monster’s strike. The werewolf then ran forth and grabbed it by the tail, swinging it over head and slamming it repeatedly into the ground, before swinging a punch that launched it clear into the air, making a hole in the thick canopy!

The fight over, Swaine got up, amazed. _Okay… definitely a step up from earlier!_ He thought. “Fangface… that was amazing!” he gasped.

“Thanks, Swaine--- but… what happened just now?” Fangface asked. “I think I caught a lightening bug, or something…?”

The thief chuckled. “You caught a Golden Glim… they’re bits of magic that appear in battle sometimes that super-charge you, and you can use what we call a ‘Miracle Move’. Yours, apparently, formed a shield around us and gave you a boost in attack--- probably a form of ‘Battle Cry’.”

“Battle Cry? Huh… I consider it more of a… ‘Mighty Howl’.”

“Mew!” Eclipse exclaimed, flying towards him, full of energy now.

“Ooh! Eclipse! *grr* Well I’m glad to see one more friend is with us,” Fangface pat the winged feline, summoning him back. He shifted. “Huh… something feels different.”

“Your familiar must have gained experience from that fight,” Swaine replied. “It happens when you’re linked with one,”

“Ooh, ooh, that’s great!” Fangface breathed, looking around. “So… what do we do, now?”

“We find a way out of this jungle, first of all.” They continued to walk, and he let out a heavy sigh. “…dammit, I wish I knew what was happening to the others. They were all still fighting those sons of bitches when we were snagged,”

“I know… *grr* I can’t even get a trace of their scent, we’re so far away!” Fangface let out a whimper. “W-We’ll find them, though, right? *whine* Your friends can use magic to catch up to us, can’t they?”

Swaine patted him on the back. “Yeah, don’t worry. If I know my friends, they won’t stop until we’re found--- just like how you and your friends didn’t stop until you found each other,”

“Ooh, ooh, I remember! I was so worried when we couldn’t find Puggsy… We’ll find him again just like before, won’t we?”

The thief sighed, feeling like he was reassuring a child. “Yes, Fangface. We’ll find Puggsy.”

He paused just then, seeing a light shining down the path they were on…

And it was connected to the band on his ring-finger. Something inside him made him feel a connection, that on the other end of the light was the other band.

“Whoa! *grr* Swaine, what’s up with that ring? I didn’t know you wore jewelry!” Fangface gasped.

“I don’t… but I think it’s our key to getting back to the others,” Swaine answered, and together they followed the light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trivia: The 'connecting light' is a recycled idea from an old (deleted) Ni no Kuni story I wrote before.


	26. Lost and Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remembered September 9th is the day Fangface first aired on television... and that was enough to feed my muse to update this story!

It was a long climb, but Biff managed to make it up to the top of the cliff, Drippy hanging on to his shoulder. The teen was thankful that he and his friends had gone rock-climbing before, and in order to help pass the time (as well as keep their spirits up), the leader told the fairy about the first time they tried it: Biff and Puggsy deciding to race to the top, Fangs having trouble with his harness and ending up hanging upside down, and Kim having a bit of vertigo and needing a bit of encouragement before she managed to reach the top.

The second time, Puggsy and Fangs tried to race to the top, and the lanky teen had ended up looking down and ending up freezing--- it took twenty minutes to get him down. “So you and youer friends do a bit o’ this stuff for kicks, eh?” Drippy asked once they reached the top, the teen sitting down to catch his breath. “Crikey, I wonder what ya do to work!”

“Well, I used to work at my uncle’s auto-repair shop part-time during high school.” Biff answered, wiping the sweat from his brow. “When I was ready for college, he gave me The Wolf Buggy--- it was a little yellow car that needed a fix-up, and he said if I could fix it, I could have it. So… I tuned it up, customized it a bit, and now my friends and I had a way to drive anywhere we wanted.”

“Oi, you ‘n’ Ollie-boy have a lot more in common than I thought. I wonder…” Drippy began to say, but they both paused when they heard a sound coming from behind them. “Wait--- do you hear that?”

*rustle, rustle*

They turned, seeing a dense jungle ahead of them. Biff quickly summoned Gizmo, both of them preparing to defend themselves. They heard whispering coming from the foliage. “Alright, whoever’s there, come out and show yourself!” Biff called.

“…Biff??” called a familiar voice, and someone peered out of the bushes. It was Kim!

“Kim! …Oliver!” Biff summoned back Gizmo, running forth at the sight of their friends.

“OLLIE-BOY!” Drippy exclaimed, running forth when he saw the young wizard pop up next.

“Mister Drippy! Biff!” Oliver exclaimed, catching the fairy as he leaped forth and hugging him tight; Biff and Kim hugged each other as well.

The four of them began speaking at once, an exchange of, “How did you get here?”s and “Are you okay?”s being swapped amongst them. Once they settled down, Kim and Oliver told their friends about the treacherous beasts burrowing underneath the soft earth they had to outrun, the poisonous trees that would make anyone feel ill and pass out just from the touch, and their encounter with Persephone; Biff and Drippy, in turn, told them about the patch of spiked thorn-branches that pierced and crushed them until they responded to something pure, their trek up a rocky terrain, and their encounter with Salem in the tunnel.

“Jeepers creepers… I wonder what else is on this island?” Oliver asked, a bit stunned.

“I’d hate to find out. But if you guys are here… does that mean the others might be here as well?” Biff realized.

“I’d put my money on it. That darn Puppet-Man whisked us away, that beaked-brain mimic took Kimmy ‘n’ Ollie-boy to th’ other side…” Drippy concurred. “That three-headed lizard nabbed Esther ‘n’ Pugs, and that teleporting chimera grabbed Swaine ‘n’ Fangs… they probably dumped ‘em off here somewhere, too!”

“Then we need to keep going. Once we find everyone, we might be able to figure out a way off this island,”

“I hope they’re alright,” Kim sighed, and together the four of them walked into the jungle, keeping close so not to fall for any tricks. The further they went, the thicker the canopy above them grew, until the skies were completely blocked.

Oliver gasped, sticking his arm out to stop the others; in front of them was a tiny purple stream, the grass in front of it dried up and withered for 3 feet. They backed up and looked around, eventually deciding they had to climb the trees (again, in Kim and Oliver’s case) in order to continue on, the branches thick enough for them to walk across; when the branches were too thin or dead, they found vines that they used to swing across.

“Whoa!” Biff cried, when his vine suddenly snapped and he fell into some bushes! Thankfully they were still green, meaning the poison could not reach him… but he saw something glowing above him. A light of sorts.

That’s when something else came his way, and he gasped in surprise…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The bard and the wandsmith had been walking for a good hour, the older teen growing tired, and carrying the young girl on his back was not helping. Noticing his exhaustion, she suggested they stop to rest, and he agreed.

“Puggsy! Your hand!” Esther gasped, pointing.

“What about--- WHAT THE HELL?!” Puggsy shouted, noticing a light was glowing on his finger, a beam of it stretching across the jungle! “How long has that been there?!”

The bard examined his hand. “It’s attached to your ring.” She gasped. “Maybe its connected to Swaine’s, too! He must be nearby!”

“Or it’s another trap…” Puggsy looked to see where the light was pointing, finding it shined behind them. “See? It’s leading back to the way we just came from!”

Esther stood up, her legs a bit wobbly as her body still ached, but she made her way over to a tree, peering over and seeing that the light curved in another direction. She turned to Puggsy and pointed. “It’s leading southwest. Here, stand up and turn your body a bit,”

Puggsy did so, until the light was aiming straightforward. “I dunno, Esther… If this thing could lead us to Swaine, why’s it glowing now?”

“Maybe it’s part of the spell. The governor did say that until you two put aside your differences or agreed to go your separate ways, you were to remain engaged… well, since you guys were forced apart for almost a whole day, maybe the light serves as a reminder!”

The wandsmith looked at the ring and sighed. “My grandma was right--- arranged marriages always come with a lot of weight. …Alright, lets see if you’re right,”

Having Esther climb onto his back, they followed the light.

They had been walking for ten minutes when…

_“Whoa!”_

_*Crunch!*_

“Did you hear that? It came from up ahead!” Esther gasped.

Puggsy summoned Rex, sending him ahead to scout out the sound. The familiar had gone twenty feet, before it started jumping up and down in excitement. They ran over, and looked, finding Biff lying in a bush!

“BIFF!” Puggsy and Esther both cried.

“Puggsy! Esther!” came more voices from above, and they looked up to see more of their friends up in the treetops!

“OLIVER! KIM! DRIPPY!” Esther exclaimed in joyous relief; their friends climbed down, and she climbed off Puggsy’s back, stumbling over until Oliver caught her, both of them hugging.

“Thank goodness you’re alright!” Kim sighed in respite, hugging Puggsy. “What happened to you two??”

“Tch, what DIDN’T happen?! You won’t believe this…” Puggsy retorted, then told the group about their encounter at the pit.

“So this place _is_ Tobias’ prison,” Biff realized.

“Oi, they really pulled out quite a few stops to make sure he stays stuck here,” Drippy sneered.

“And you said Serpens can still do magic! Do you think you could use it to…?” Oliver began.

“Stop right there. I ain’t trusting this sadistic staff after the ordeal it put us through.” Puggsy sneered, crossing his arms.

“He’s right, Oliver. If we try to use it… chances are, it will probably take us right back to that horrible pit,” Esther agreed, wrapping her arms around herself. “And I’m still aching from what happened,”

“Alright, now lets address the Hierophant in the room… what’s with that light, mun??” Drippy asked, hopping on Puggsy’s shoulder and pointing at his ring.

“Esther thinks it’s part of that engagement-curse, and it might lead us to Swaine,” Puggsy replied.

“Well… so far it’s led you to us, so she may be right! At least now we have some sort of beacon,” Biff stated in optimism.

“Yeah, and Fangs will probably be with him too!” Oliver guessed.

“And if there’s a chance Fangs turned into Fangface, he’ll probably be able to sniff us out!” Kim added.

“Why are we all standing around making guesses, then?? Lets hurry up ‘n’ find the last two pieces of ouer team puzzle!” Drippy exclaimed.

“…Team puzzle? Ah, never mind.” Puggsy shook his head.

The short teen took the lead, the fairy beside him; Oliver helped Esther walk, as the bard was still a bit unsteady but claimed she was starting to feel a bit better; Kim and Biff took up the rear, the two leaders keeping alert for any ambushes. The further they walked, the brighter the stream of light glowed.

They ended up in a large clearing just then, and ended up having to shield their eyes, for unlike the rest of the island, the sunlight was shining on this spot. Looking over, they noticed they were near another cliff, overlooking the ocean. From here, they could see the red sky above them slowly fade into blue as it stretched towards the horizon; the wall of clouds above seemed to stop right at the edge of the isle.

Meanwhile, the beam of light was shining so bright it was nearly blinding! “They must be right through these trees,” Puggsy stated, holding his hand away while shielding his eyes. “…geez, how do I turn this thing off?”

“C’mon, we can go get them, then come back here. This is a pretty clear spot to—“ Oliver began, only to end up punched by Esther! “Ow! W-What was that for?”

“Ha ha ha… you’re not going anywhere. Did you think it would be that easy?” Esther replied… but there was a funny look in her eye. She stepped forth, only to stumble and fall on her knees; her eyes returned to normal. “Ow…”

“(Ugh, that little wretch’s body is in too much pain to be controlled.) Oh well, this will do much better,” Kim said in response, suddenly taking out her poisoned arrow and shooting it at Puggsy!

“YEOW!” Puggsy dodged, the arrow hitting a tree, which immediately began to turn black, its leaves falling. “Kim! What’s wrong with you?!”

“Nothing… I just think we’ve wasted enough time here. Just give up the wand, Puggsy. It’s been nothing but trouble; I bet if we just leave it here, all our problems will go away,”

 _She’s being controlled,_ Oliver realized, looking around. He then spotted something up in the trees; grabbing a rock, he threw it.

“(Ow! You little brat!)” Kim grunted, her head jerking as if mimicking being hit by the rock. She drew an arrow and aimed at Oliver!

“Oh, no you don’t!” Biff snapped, rushing over and grabbing Kim’s arms, trying to make her drop the weapon.

“(Ah, ah, ah, play nice…)”

Biff froze, suddenly in a trance. He then released Kim, both of them facing the group.

“It’s that Puppet! He’s hiding in the trees cont---“ Oliver began to say, but felt himself becoming controlled next!

“Oliver?? …Drippy! Do something!” Esther cried, trying to stand up but Biff knocked her back to the ground!

“Crikey! Do something, mun!” Drippy stammered to Puggsy… only to see he was in a hypnotic state as well, walking towards a tree where the Puppeteer was!

“Why? You can’t beat The Puppeteer--- anything he says, goes.” Puggsy replied.

“And I say… give me Serpens,” The wicked life-sized marionette stated, holding out his hand.

*WHAP!*

“ARGH!” The Puppeteer looked, seeing that Esther had summoned her familiar, Gogo; the ave had snuck over and struck the villain right in the kneecap!

Puggsy snapped out of his daze, as did the others, and the short teen took this chance and quickly punched their foe in the face, making his head spin! He then back-stepped until he was a good ways away; Kim drew an arrow and shot at the puppet, while Biff and Oliver summoned their familiars to fight! Puggsy summoned Rex, and Kim summoned Mavis when she ran out of arrows.

All of a sudden, their familiars froze… and began to fight each other! Everyone grunted, feeling the pain inflicted! The Puppeteer laughed. “I can control people’s familiars as well… I can control everyone at once!” he exclaimed, and made everyone freeze in place, while the familiars beat one another, knowing it would not be long before everyone was passing out. He walked over to Puggsy, making the teen take out Serpens. “Now, as I was saying… hand over the---“

“ _ARROOOOOOOOOO!”_

Had the Puppeteer been paying attention, he would have noticed the light on Puggsy’s ring had been flashing, signifying that the other band was close… which meant a certain werewolf was nearby as well. And at the sight of the short teen, Fangface had leaped out of the bushes and tackled his best friend, both of them tumbling across the grass!

“Pugs! *grr* I found ya! I finally found ya!” The werewolf exclaimed, picking up and shaking the teen!

The wolf-tackle did a good job of snapping Puggsy out of his trance. “Knock it off, you weird-wolf! We’ve got company!” he sputtered, pointing over.

“The wand!” The Puppeteer gasped, seeing Serpens had fallen from Puggsy’s grasp, right at his feet!

*BANG!*

A grappling hook shot out and nabbed the staff before the puppet could touch it, ending up in the hands of Swaine. “I don’t think so,” The thief scoffed, then shot at the foe.

“Give me the w---“ The Puppeteer began to command, but Fangface tackled him next!

“The only thing we’re going to give you is an ass-kicking!” Puggsy snapped; he looked, seeing that everyone and their familiars had been freed from their mind-control. However, everyone was in poor health. He turned to the werewolf. “Fangface, you keep that guy busy! Swaine, we gotta heal up everybody!”

“*grr* Sure thing, Pugs!” Fangface said, then grabbed the Puppeteer by the shirt collar, shaking him around. “No one messes with my friends! Ya hear me?! *grr* No one!”

“Insipid beast! I’ll force you to rip out their organs for this!” The Puppeteer snarled, and tried to control Fangface…

But something was wrong. When he tried to tap into his mind… it seemed to be split into two halves! When he tried to control the werewolf’s side, the human side started screaming in panic, telling him to ‘go away’; when he tried to control the human side, the werewolf side would snarl and force him out! When he tried to control both…

Fangface shook his head. “What the…? I feel dizzy…? What are you doing to me?!” He snapped, and began shaking the marionette again, breaking his concentration.

The Puppeteer pushed away, trying to shoot into the air, but Fangface caught him by the ankles and slammed him into the ground until he was unconcious! He then grabbed the strings that were holding him up, and tied him to a tree!

Puggsy and Swaine, in the meantime, helped the others; everyone summoned back their familiars, and Swaine summoned his Thumblemur to heal them up. “Swaine! Fangface! Oh thank God…” Kim sighed once the turmoil had eased down, hugging the werewolf.

“What happened to you lot?” Swaine asked, helping Esther stand and steadying her when she wobbled.

“A lot, but lets find a way off this island before something else attacks!” Biff replied.

“Easier said than done… considering there’s nothing but ocean for miles,” Kim sighed.

There came chuckling, and they turned back towards the puppet. “Idiots… The Forsaken Isle was never meant to have an escape. You are doomed to remain here, no more prisoners than Master Tobias!” he taunted. He started at them. “Now, why don’t you just---“

*SMACK!*

“Don’t even try!” Fangface snapped, smacking him so hard his head turned completely backwards!

“Are you a Guardian, too?” Oliver asked The Puppeteer. “Percephony said she was one,”

The marionette only scoffed. “Some Guardian… I was nothing but a tool for a tyrant! I was ordered to force subjects to obey his every command, to make his enemies fall under his control! It was not until Master Tobias came along that I was allowed to use my power freely, and he promised me a land I could reign over if I helped him in his conquest!”

“But he’s just doing the same thing! He’s telling you to mind control everyone for his own gain!” Kim snapped.

“That can’t be what your powers were originally used for. What kind of Guardian would be told to force people to be slaves? You had to have a better purpose!” Oliver replied.

“Ha! The only purpose I had was making everyone human puppets!” The Puppeteer sneered. “I was no Guardian,”

“Just because someone tells you that controlling others is all you’re good for, doesn’t mean they’re right. There must be something---“

“ENOUGH!” The Puppeteer turned his head back around, glaring at Oliver. “Foolish boy! Don’t you see?! We ALL were defective Guardians! Percephone was nothing more than an errand girl! Titan had three heads that could never agree and always gave misdirection! Salem was nothing more than a mimic, always told to fool others! All our masters saw us as nothing more than toys!”

“And you really think Tobias is different?! He’s just using you all!” Puggsy retorted. “He and your old masters made you all think nothing good could come from your powers, and you keep falling for it!”

“You all need to start thinking for yourselves. A Guardian has a purpose to defend someone or something. You need to think about what purpose inspired you---“ Oliver began to say.

“Oh, go jump off a cliff, you brat!” The Puppeteer snapped.

Oliver gasped, turning against his will and running towards the cliff! “OLIVER! NO!” Esther cried.

Fangface snarled and punched the marionette, knocking him out; but it was too late, Oliver was too close to the edge and fell---!

There came a loud, “Kyaaaaah!” as something swooped down and caught the young wizard--- Tengri! The dragon landed on the cliff, the boy hanging on to his neck. On the dragon’s back sat Marcassin, Horace and Cassiopeia.

“Oh, thank goodness!” Cassiopeia breathed.

“Everyone, get on! We must get you away from here, quickly!” Marcassin called.

“But we all can’t fit---!” Esther began to point out.

“We’ll all just have to pile on then! C’mon!” Swaine cut her off, picking her up and carrying her over.

Everyone climbed on; Oliver remained gripping Tengri’s neck with Horace scooting up behind him, Cassiopeia moved up to sit beside Marcassin, Swaine held Esther on his lap as Fangface sat next to him, Biff and Kim sat side by side with Drippy sitting on the male leader’s shoulder, and Puggsy (by default) had to hang on to the dragon’s tail.

Tengri took off, grunting a bit from the extra weight, but slowly made his way from the isle, flying until the clouds cleared up and the red skies turned blue. The dragon let out a moan and snort, his pace getting slower. “Ooh, ooh, we have to find a place to land! Tengri says he can’t hold up much longer!” Fangface translated.

“I—know— the—feeling!” Puggsy called, gripping on tight as the dragon’s tail would swish around!

“We won’t have to--- look! There’s the Iron Wyvern!” Cassiopeia exclaimed.

Landing on the airship’s deck, the group slid off the dragon (Puggsy staggered off, a bit green from the ride) and met with Khublai. “Captain Khublai! Thank goodness!” Oliver sighed with relief. “What are you doing flying all the way out here?”

“Arr, we told yer royal friends here we’d keep th’ vessel close so that Tengri could rest! Made sure they would have a way of getting ye off some cursed island--- a means of transportation, a Dragon Whistle should they need to call Tengri again, and some extra eyes should any other beasts come their way!” The Sky Pirate replied. “Now that you’re all safe, lets get back to familiar skies!”

The airship turned around, and made its way across the air; it flew above the cloudline, in order to keep from being spotted. “Where should we go, though? Anywhere we head, those monsters will track us down!” Kim sighed as everyone sat on the deck; a few crewmates brought them refreshments and tonics to help them regain their strength.

“Hard to say. There probably ain’t a single place in this world they haven’t been to, yet.” Puggsy muttered, working on his gun again as they rested.

Oliver gasped, an idea coming to mind. “Then… what about my world?” he suggested, and everyone looked at him. “The monsters won’t be able to get to Motorville… we could hide Serpens there, until we defeated Tobias!”

“Are you sure, Oliver? The Dark Djinn had ways of corrupting others in your world, as did I… suppose Tobias did the same?” Cassiopeia asked.

“The wand was in a shop in our world though, and it wasn’t really corrupting anyone.” Biff replied.

“Yes, but you also came from a different time, meaning Tobias must have perished by that point.” Marcassin theorized. “Not to mention, someone in Motorville may find it and be brought here next,”

“I say we give it a shot.” Swaine spoke up, lying Serpens down. “Even if Tobias was dead in their time, that damn wand still had some way to bring everyone here, and the curse said only those with magic would be brought here if they touched it. Plus, Kim is right--- the monsters will keep tracking us if it stays here. If we take it to another world, they’ll end up clueless on its whereabouts. Lets hide it in Motorville… at least until Novas is complete!”

“Oh!” Cassiopeia gasped, and reached into her bag, pulling out the box that contained Novas. “We can banish it now! In this compartment we found a gem..” she opened the box, taking out the bottom of it and showing the gem. “This must be the missing piece!”

Swaine blinked. “Why didn’t you two say so earlier?! Here we were, wondering where we could hide, and all this time---!”

“Apologies, Gascon. We were so caught up in the excitement of finding you that we momentarily forgot!” Marcassin said with a weak chuckle. He cleared his throat. “Puggsy? If you would?”

“Gladly!” Puggsy replied, fitting the gem inside Novas and handing it to Oliver. “Here, kid. You do the honorifics,”

Oliver nodded, holding Novas. “ _Alt-Uni!”_ he declared…

Nothing happened. The gem did not even glow!

“Um… I’m no magician, but… isn’t the evil wand supposed to disappear?” Fangface asked, scratching his head.

“Let me see--- maybe I didn’t fit the gem in right,” Puggsy stammered, looking at Novas, and the gem slipped right out into his palm.

“You know… when we first put the stones in Mornstar, they glowed a bit. But this gem didn’t glow when Puggsy put it in,” Esther realized. “Maybe he has to use a certain ritual like you and Khulan did, Oliver?”

“But that was because the stones were too big! This one seems just the right size,” Oliver replied.

Puggsy squinted, looking close. “…It’s a fake,”

“What??” Kim questioned.

“It’s a fake! Here, feel it.” The short teen handed it to Cassiopeia. “I gathered a lot of gems from enemies when I was training, and they all had some sort of weight to ‘em. But that thing is as light as plastic! It’s kind of like how colorized glass can be used to look like real jewels,”

Cassiopeia held the gem up. “You’re right. I can’t feel any kind of power stemming from it. But, why would a fake jewel be hidden inside a box?”

“And why is that ghost kid waving his arms like crazy?” Fangface asked, pointing at Horace.

Oliver cast ‘Spirit Medium’. “What is it---?” he began to ask.

“The gem is a clue!” Horace blurted out. “When wizard had powerful wands back in those days they would have to hide the real gems and replace them with fake ones! The Wizard King probably did the same thing! But that fake gem was left in the box, just to give someone an idea on what it looks like, so that if Novas was ever needed, they would just have to find the gem and complete it!”

“But… why hide it in a box?” Swaine questioned.

“How should I now? The Wizard King thought this up, not me!”

“Well… if I remember, your father was one to test someone’s determination,” Oliver replied, looking at Cassiopeia. “We fought him at the Ivory Tower--- well, at least an apparition of him, he called himself Gallus. He wanted to test us to see if we were worthy to carry Astra.”

“That makes sense. Novas is much more powerful, so he would hide the gem to see just how willing we were to complete the wand,” Cassiopeia agreed.

“Well, I’m pretty damn willing.” Puggsy remarked. “But that means we’ll have to go with Oliver’s plan and hide Serpens in his world.”

“I suppose there is no other choice.” Marcassin replied, standing up. “Oliver… take Serpens to Motorville, and hide it somewhere safe.”


End file.
